Retailers urge Congress to reject the new bill that will lead to greatly increased debit card swipe fees. Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) recently composed and introduced a bill that would repeal the Durbin Amendment, which was passed in 2010 to reform the fees that merchants pay to accept debit card payments, and a number of…
West Virginia OMEGA Raises Money to Support Local Children and Families
OMEGA-member stores sold paper flowers to raise money to support the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia. The West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association (OMEGA) made an announcement in Charleston, W. Va. that the organization has raised funds to help the children and families of the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia. According to…
NACS Opposes Neugabauer’s Attempt to Repeal Durbin Amendment
NACS opposes the recently introduced proposal from Representative Neugabauer to repeal the Durbin Amendment. NACS senior vice president for government relations, Lyle Beckwith, has released a statement regarding the bill that has been introduced by Representative Randy Neugebauer, chairman of the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee of House Financial Services Committee. The recently introduced…
NACS Opposes the Repeal of the Swipe Fee Reform
NACS is encouraging members of the convenience store industry to take action against the recently announced legislation that would repeal debit swipe reforms. Following the announcement from House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) that he will soon introduce legislation to repeal the debit swipe reforms in the Durbin Amendment, the National Association of…
NRF Reveals the Likely Adverse Effects of New Overtime Rule
Research from the NRF has revealed that the new overtime rule will not lead to more take-home pay for workers, despite its intention. The Labor Department recently introduced a new overtime rule, and although this rule theoretically should benefit both businesses and their employees, the true effects that this new rule will likely have on…
CST Brands Announces Common Stock Cash Dividend
CST Brands will pay a cash dividend to holders of its common stock next month. The Board of Directors for CST Brands Inc. recently announced a quarterly cash dividend on the company’s common stock. The cash dividend is in the amount of $0.0625 per share, and will be payable on July 15, 2016 to holders…
Cleveland Minimum Wage Proposal May Not Make November Ballot
The proposal to increase Cleveland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour may have been turned in too late to be included on the November ballot. A petition to increase Cleveland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has been submitted to the city council for review, but it is likely that the petition was submitted too…
RILA Fears Consequences of the Potential Repeal of the Durbin Amendment
RILA fears that banks will begin imposing excessive fees on merchants if House Republicans are successful in repealing the Durbin Amendment. Recent comments from Jeb Hensarling, House Financial Services chairman, regarding the Durbin Amendment, have evoked a strong reaction from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). The comments from Hensarling revealed that House Republicans have…
C-Store Designer, James Mitchell, Passes Away
The creator of “feel-good” convenience stores has passed away. On June 1, 2016, the passionate, imaginative and innovative James “Jim” Edward Mitchell passed away, at the age of 76. For over 30 years, Mitchell worked as a designer for a number of convenience stores and truckstops, according to Asian American Trade Association Council (AATAC). Mitchell…
Seeing the Glass Half Full
Being upbeat can help a retailer’s vision for the future. By Jim Callahan It is said that, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity,” while “an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” I’ve encountered so many intelligent and impactful individuals during my 48-year journey in the convenience store industry and, I am struck…