John Lofstock

The c-store industry was never for the faint of heart. The competition is aggressive, customers have extremely high standards, and any challenges encountered have to be overcome — and fast. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that retail is evolving constantly to meet customers’ needs. This is not easy to do on short…

Retailers across the country are struggling mightily to keep their doors open, employees working and sales flowing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A record number of chains have been forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy or shutter their brands altogether. These aren’t some mom-and-pop outfits either. These brands include some of the most venerable and…

Data privacy has become a necessary ingredient in the business fabric for retailers, especially those in the convenience/petroleum industry. Whether you look purely at your customer’s personal information, or broaden your perspective to include employee and business data as well as payment data, the amount of data flowing through your business requires increasing attention to…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised a new set of standards to keep your customers and employees safe. These recommendations include washing hands after touching an item or surface in a public place that may be frequently touched by other people, as well as before touching one’s…

Top-quartile convenience store chains have recruiting and retention habits that give them a leg up on the competition. However, attracting and retaining top-notch talent does not happen overnight. It’s the result of hard work, an excellent training plan and years of experience, and the payoff is incalculable, as we have seen during this COVID-19 crisis.…

Not many retail brands survive for 110 years, but CITGO has not only weathered the competition, it is refreshing its brand image to meet the challenges of a new generation. Today, the Texas-based oil company operates more than 4,600 stores coast-to-coast and has its sights sets on growing its marketer program over the next 12-24…

CSD Editor John Lofstock talks with Suzy Silliman, of NRS, about the impact urban c-stores are having on mainstream c-store sales. CStore Decisions · NRSPodcast

The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) Young Executives Organization (YEO) is pleased to announce that Ryan Faville, director of purchasing for New York-based Stewart’s Shops, was named to the YEO Board of Directors. Faville, who oversees category managers and buyers at the 337 Stewart’s Shops across New York and southern Vermont,replaces Lindsay Lyden, of Ohio-based truenorth, who…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a directive in December 2019 stating, “It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product — including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes — to anyone under 21.” The ruling had an immediate impact on convenience stores. Selling tobacco to underage customers will result in fines, penalties…

As cannabidiol (CBD) moves the mainstream, convenience stores are in prime position to benefit from the product’s rapid growth. U.S. sales of hemp-derived CBD products reached $4.2 billion in 2019, a 562% increase over 2018, according to Brightfield Group. While few consumers had heard of CBD prior to 2018, the signing of the Farm Bill…