After more than 30 years in the convenience-store industry and a couple of more years writing about c-stores, a new opportunity awaits. By Fran Duskiewicz When I was deep in the middle of everything that was going on in the industry, I had little patience for those who I believed were coasting on past experiences…
When Counting the Human Cost
In the middle of June, I traveled to central New York. I hadn’t been back since I relocated to Naples, Fla. more than a year ago. There were a number of reasons for the visit, most of them prosaic, but what was very much center of mind for me was checking on the feelings of…
Too Many Chiefs
When upgrading foodservice, creating a budgeting and bonus program that encourages and rewards cooperation is a must. By Fran Duskiewicz Many companies who attempt to incorporate an upgraded foodservice operation into existing store operations often overlook the complexities and possible counterproductive managerial head-butting that can occur. Rearranging the store level organizational chart so that current…
Knowing How to Apply Training Triage
Some individuals entering the convenience industry lack certain educational skills. As a result, worker training must be shaped to address such deficiencies. By Fran Duskiewicz There’s a real, practical reason I was hired by John MacDougall, founder of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, which launched my long career with the company: I was an English…
Managing Grab and Go
Making food that is not to order and that becomes a retail item without a guaranteed sale is a foreign concept to many foodservice professionals. By Fran Duskiewicz Here’s a scenario that happens often. Your favorite source of grab-and-go food—whether it’s a supermarket or a convenience store with dedicated foodservice—continually seems to be out of…
A Strong Tradition of Keeping SCORE
If you don’t already know, there’s a unique nonprofit group that specializes in helping businesses be more successful. By Fran Duskiewicz One of the more attractive aspects of our industry is the very real commitment to community involvement as continually shown by its companies, both large and small, and its various trade organizations and trade…
Making Sense of Company Culture
Embracing a positive company environment requires real resolve. By Fran Duskiewicz In crafting this column, I made a list of the things I thought might be interesting and relevant to readers, based on their knowledge of my background within Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes and my various industry involvements. I’ve made my way through the…
Small Town Heroes
There’s something about places where our roots remain. The same can be said about the convenience store industry. By Fran Duskiewicz Many years ago, when I was a young English teacher sitting in the teachers’ lounge, expounding upon why central New York was such a great place to live, the school’s guidance counselor chastised me…
Reviewing Regulation Irregularities
Nobody said that operating a c-store is easy, but knowing the ground rules helps. By Fran Duskiewicz If you sit around and chat with a group of convenience store executives, sooner or later, the discussion will turn to horror stories of dealing with local, state and federal inspectors and the inconsistent nature in which they…
Will Fewer Employees Become the Norm?
In the pursuit of efficiency, c-store operations are changing. But, is it for the better? By Fran Duskiewicz Near where I live, the Target and Walmart stores have installed self-checkout sections with scale scanners, payment systems and bagging units available 24 hours a day. They’re always busy and customers seem comfortable with the process, handling…