By John Lofstock, Editor There was a time not all that long ago when convenience store employees and customers were looked down upon by the mainstream media and even those in the local community who viewed c-stores as unsafe and overpriced. But for the past two decades the industry has taken great lengths to renovate…
Understanding Your Workforce
When we finally come out on the other end of these economic doldrums, we’ll find—as in downturns past—that it will not be the big businesses that devour the small or even the fast who outdistance the slow. No, it will be the focused and flexible that outmaneuver and outlast the unfocused and inflexible. While the…
Delivering a Service Culture
From great corners, clean restrooms and modern facilities to fresh food and a wide selection of popular snacks, convenience stores are committed to delivering outstanding service. This commitment is evident in the industry’s growing sales numbers at a time when most other retail channels are struggling to break even. This service-driven culture is the industry’s…
Building Profits and Relationships
Fresh off another successful National Advisory Group (NAG) conference last month in Nashville, I would like to thank all of the attendees that joined us for two days of outstanding networking, educational sessions and information exchanges. What makes NAG so special is that it is an association driven by retailers for retailers. We are an…
The Silent War Against Retail
Within the past six weeks, documents outlining New York City’s secret war against electronic tobacco were leaked to the public. The contents of the documents are hardly surprising given New York’s recent assault on items sold in convenience stores, fast-food restaurants and supermarkets. The documents were leaked by the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association…
Foodservice Remains the Key to Future Success
By John Lofstock, Editor. While trendy items like electronic cigarettes and energy shots offer convenience store retailers a respite from depressed tobacco and fuel margins, it should be perfectly clear to all store owners that developing a great foodservice program is what it will take to remain profitable in the future. Convenience store operators are…
Embracing the Technology Revolution
By John Lofstock, Editor There is a rather humorous story behind Simon and Garfunkel’s song Mrs. Robinson that goes beyond the art of seduction. In the popular song, the legendary musical duo asks, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” DiMaggio, of course, needed no introduction when the…
Driving New Business
By John Lofstock, Editor. Hailed by many as an emerging threat to the tobacco cigarette industry, electronic cigarettes are providing smokers with an alternative to traditional tobacco-based smoking. But these battery-operated devices serve as much more than a nicotine delivery system, they are serving as a shot in the arm for an entire industry. E-cigarettes…
Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
By John Lofstock, Editor. In these difficult economic times it’s rewarding to meet successful businesses that are doing things right. It’s even more gratifying when these businesses are family owned and operated. Such is the case with Family Express in Valparaiso, Ind. I have known Gus Olympidis and his family for more than 15 years…
The Growing Importance of Foodservice
I had the opportunity recently to look back at the archives of Convenience Store Decisions from the early 1990s. The majority of stories were dominated by candy and tobacco. Sure, there were some sandwich stories and the obligatory narrative on roller grills—even one mention of a futuristic retailer in Texas attempting to develop a pricebook…