With 41 stores in the Carolinas under its belt, Hot Spot is growing through new-to-industry (NTI) locations, the evolution of its Hotties Kitchen foodservice program, and the rollout of new mobile app features and electronic shelf tags.
Additionally, Hot Spot has been strategically competing with national chains through faster decision making, local market knowledge, strong vendor partnerships, flexible merchandising and personalized customer service.
“Hot Spot may not be the largest convenience store chain in America, but it is exactly the type of regional operator that industry leaders should be watching. With a growing footprint, strong operational culture, community focus, innovative product mix and commitment to developing its people, Hot Spot has the ingredients to be one of the standout convenience retail success stories of 2026,” said Shawn Holmes, corporate marketing and merchandising manager for the chain.
Going Digital
Hot Spot is opening a new store in mid-August in Sylva, N.C. After, the chain is opening new locations in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Spartanburg, S.C.
The stores will feature bigger layouts at 6,000 square feet, which allow them to have bigger foodservice operations, larger selections and more cooler doors. By opening these new stores, Hot Spot can introduce the latest store design, operational efficiencies and customer-focused amenities early. They also create additional career opportunities for team members.
Furthermore, these stores will feature electronic shelf labels, which the chain is also rolling out at existing locations.
These provide real-time price updates from the corporate office across stores, improve pricing accuracy, reduce the labor spent on changing paper tags, allow for faster execution of promotions and vendor programs, and offer better compliance with pricing and promotional strategies.
“We really highlight the two-for deals, and it’s increased our two-for sales … because it really stands out. … It helps for sales, helps labor and it helps for the cost of tags,” said Holmes.
Hot Spot also redesigned its rewards app, offering gamification, digital coupons and savings, and fuel savings programs.
These features have increased customer engagement, resulted in more frequent store visits, unlocked special promotions for members and offered personalized rewards opportunities, among other benefits.
“We do something called Wild Wednesday, where we give something free away to every customer that has a reward card, and we promote that on our app, and that’s huge. … We advertise our gas pricing on there, which customers love, and then it automatically comes up with your closest store when you log on to our app. The closest store tells you their fuel price, their location, how far it is from you. You can get directions to that store off of there, so it does a lot,” said Holmes.
Hot Spot also holds app takeovers, giving a vendor an opportunity to promote its item as the first thing a customer sees when they open the app.
“We found that to be huge for new items, as well as Wild Wednesday when we give something away for free. … A lot of times we do new items or new-to-industry items that people haven’t ever tried. Now they’re repeat buyers,” Holmes continued.
Hotties Kitchen
As a fast-growing profit center, foodservice is also an area that Hot Spot has decided to invest in heavily, and it added in-app food ordering to provide customers with reduced wait times, easy customization and greater convenience.
Hot Spot will have a Hotties Kitchen in every location, either in a full or express format. Currently, a fully operational Hotties Kitchen exists in 15 locations, and 16 locations host a Hotties Express Kitchen.
Hotties Kitchen is known for its cheeseburgers, wings and subs, among other menu offerings.
“By expanding menu offerings, improving food quality and focusing on consistency and speed of service, Hot Spot is successfully driving higher customer engagement and repeat visits,” said Holmes.
The goal is to position Hot Spot as a destination for fresh, made-to-order meals.
Hometown Feel
As Hot Spot has grown, it has maintained its strong local identity and remained connected to the communities it serves.
“In an industry dominated by massive national brands, Hot Spot is proving that regional chains can still outperform through execution, community involvement and a relentless focus on the customer experience,” Holmes said.
Hot Spot is creating customer loyalty through building relationships in its market area and focusing on developing store managers, district managers and field leadership.
When asked why Hot Spot is a Chain to Watch, Holmes noted the chain’s commitment to evolving beyond the traditional store model. He also highlighted Hot Spot’s strategic growth, innovation mindset and dedication to delivering a best-in-class experience.
