Alcoholic beverage sales are booming, and there’s never been a better time to optimize your convenience store’s wine segment to maximize its potential. In today’s market, if you want to be seen as a destination for wine purchases, it’s important to have a variety of wines both in terms of type of wine and price…

We select our store locations. We select our staff. We select the merchandise to carry; and, along those lines, we select our vendors. Selecting the correct vendors — in addition to managing these vendors during the selection process and beyond — can often be the difference between making your store profitable or simply providing real…

National Hot Dog Day is coming up on July 21. Naturally, c-stores and travel stops across the country are gearing up to promote this classic, customer-favorite c-store roller grill product. Oklahoma City-based Love’s Travel Stops, for example, announced that it partnered with Schwab Meat Co. to give away free hot dogs and half-priced drinks at 525…

Tobacco tax increases aren’t going away any time soon, and their effect on convenience stores is substantial — but they’re nothing that resourceful convenience store retailers can’t handle. Tobacco is already among the most heavily regulated categories in the store, and tax rates have gotten out of control as lawmakers in every state use taxation…

Your chain has decided to take the next step in positioning your convenience stores as a destination for beer by adding a well-lit and well-designed beer cave complete with attractive signage to draw customer attention. Now, how do you draw traffic into the beer cave? First, ensure the beer cave is well-stocked with a wide…

‘Mom & Pop’ convenience stores have been around seemingly forever and are, as the saying goes: “As American as Apple Pie!” These days, the term ‘Mom & Pop’ has become, kind of a “catch all” category that includes many more differing store types than the original neighborhood stores for which the name was first coined.…

So you’re ready to open your first convenience store or chain of stores. As an independent operator competition will be steep, but with some best practices, you can position your business for success. First, establish a board of directors. A board of directors made up of my insurance rep, realtor, auto dealer, banker and attorney…

As a small, independent convenience store chain, if you’re looking to compete on beer sales, it’s essential to have a quality selection with which to entice customers, complete with limited-time and seasonal craft beers. If you’re confident in the assortment you’re offering, the next step is to do everything possible to communicate to customers that…

Delta-8 THC entered the cannabinoid scene in December 2020, and according to research firm Brightfield Group, conversations around delta-8 grew 163% from December 2020 to April 2021. Only six months into the trend, 23% of American CBD users are already aware of delta-8 THC. First things first: What is delta-8? Delta-8 is a “quasi-legal” cannabinoid…

Convenience store customers are more health conscious than ever before, and often look for healthy alternatives when selecting a treat. Dark chocolate is often perceived by customers to be a healthier choice compared to other candy options, but is there any truth to this idea?  A little dark chocolate a day might keep the doctor…