John Lofstock

Convenience store industry sales have posted solid gains over the past decade and, by all accounts, 2019 was another strong year. A lot of hard work, capital investments and employee training goes into making c-stores a destination for customers of all ages and backgrounds across the country. For most industries, this hard work would be…

“Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” This is an especially poignant quote when you consider the plight of young leaders in the ever-changing convenience store industry. New technology, an increased demand for foodservice, staffing issues and growing competition from nontraditional retailers are just a handful of…

Michael Zielinski, the founder of Royal Buying Group and a fixture at convenience store industry events for the past three decades, has died. He was 61. The Homer Glen, Ill., native passed away from his long struggle with esophageal cancer. There will be a wake for friends on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at the Schroeder-Lauer Funeral…

  Par Mar Convenience Stores has reached a deal to acquire Mountaineer Marts, a 17-store chain based in Buckhannon, W.Va., CStore Decisions has learned. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The deal brings Par Mar’s store count to 137 units in four states — West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania — and 81 total…

Whether or not you realize it, your brand is tremendously important to every aspect of your business. A well-crafted and well-executed brand strategy can articulate your promise to customers, set you apart from the competition and establish you as a leader in the convenience channel. Yet, many companies underestimate and neglect their brand. Even those…

The convenience store and petroleum industry is as dynamic and diverse as it has ever been. I have been fortunate to have a front row view of the industry’s evolution through the years, first as a young child learning the automotive and fuel industry at my father’s stations in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., then as an…

As the convenience store industry evolves, your brand image and what it stands for will define you in the eyes of your customers and your employees. Consider the outstanding social perceptions of companies like Southwest Airlines and Costco to realize the importance of how your brand is perceived in the marketplace. Brand image is something…

The convenience store industry continues to grow sales at record numbers, but the stakes have never been higher as convenience store owners face competition from multiple retail channels and the growing home delivery industry. As competition increases across the board, savvy retailers are learning to take cost out of their operations to run lean, efficient…

As the founder of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, John MacDougall was a longtime supporter of the National Advisory Group (NAG). In his personal life, he was also a strong supporter of higher education. Though MacDougall passed away in 2014, we continue to honor his legacy and his longtime support of NAG.  For the fifth…

We all know the importance of a well-educated workforce and the c-store landscape is certainly no exception. The National Advisory Group (NAG) scholarship fund was developed to help qualified individuals offset some of these costs. Among NAG’s core mission is to help to cultivate and groom the convenience store leaders of tomorrow. In keeping with…