In August, CStore Decisions’ CStore Momentum conference drew young executives to Tarrytown, N.Y., to learn from host chain Chestnut Market and other retailers about trends, best practices and headwinds as panelists discussed a range of topics, including as technology, operations, leadership and foodservice.
Jason Read, director of store operations for Wawa, provided the keynote address, titled “Leadership in Motion,” where he shared leadership lessons from his tenure in retail.
Read emphasized that today’s young executives are “leading at what is probably the most difficult point in your company’s history.”
“The American consumer has never been under more financial pressure than they are today,” he added. “You’ve got to have one heck of an experience for that customer to pull out their money and give it to you.”
Elevating The Store Experience
As convenience stores today strive to offer a superior customer experience to guests they’re raising the bar across multiple areas of the business — elevating foodservice to rival quick-service restaurants; leaning into technology innovation across multiple fronts; building state-of-the-art new-to-industry stores; bringing legacy locations up to modern standards; and integrating operational efficiency best practices, all while adapting to changing customer demands, working to reduce employee turnover, keeping up with regulatory changes and managing mounting costs.
This month’s cover story spotlights Sprint Mart, a prime example of a chain upping its game across multiple fronts. The retailer is not only refreshing legacy locations but, in some cases, razing and rebuilding them from the ground up to make way for larger-footprint stores featuring expanded foodservice offerings and a modern design. It puts special emphasis on its restrooms, which it calls its BESTrooms. The chain is also focused in on its proprietary foodservice programs and technology — from self-checkout to loyalty to using technology to improve efficiency.
This month’s special feature, “5 Over 70 Established Chains to Watch,” features five established chains with more than 70 stores that are standing out for their growth initiatives that include moving into new states and expanding beyond traditional c-store concepts. You’ll learn how these c-store chains are positioning themselves to compete for years to come by taking necessary steps today to future-proof for tomorrow.
For more on how you can prepare your chain for tomorrow, checkout the technology column, “Future-Proofing Your C-Store,” that outlines the steps you can take to respond to the pressures building from inside and outside the c-store channel.
