Despite ongoing labor challenges, many c-store retailers are improving staffing by focusing on employee retention and selective hiring, among other strategies.
While staffing has long been a challenge for convenience stores, many c-store retailers are seeing improvements in staffing trends in 2025 compared to recent years. This is especially true for companies that are focused on retention and investing in their team members.
“Staffing for all retail businesses has its ebbs and flows, but when looking at 2025, we see a continued strength in the quality and quantity of candidates,” said Nathan Arnold, director of marketing, for Englefield Oil, which operates 117 Duchess c-stores in Ohio and West Virginia.
Calloway Oil Co., which operates 24 EZ Stop c-stores in Tennessee, also saw positive staffing trends in 2024 and isn’t expecting staffing to be a challenge for the chain in 2025.
“In fact, I would say at this moment we are overstaffed, which is a wonderful problem to have,” said Melanie Disney, head of human resources (HR), for Calloway Oil and H&L Transport Inc. “We are already staffed and prepared to take on the busy summer season and can focus on training and career growth instead of staffing.”
Since joining EZ Stop in 2024, Disney has prioritized understanding the company culture and building strong relationships with employees and leadership. She emphasized that investing time upfront to listen and align HR initiatives with employee needs allows her to “offer solutions that feel relevant and supportive rather than imposed.”
This proactive approach, she said, helps prevent misunderstandings or resistance to change, and creates a solid foundation for long-term HR success.
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