To maintain uptime and reduce servicing, the latest generation of electronic power conditioners guards data in case of power failure or lockups in ATM systems. To maintain uptime and reduce servicing, the latest generation of electronicpower conditioners guards data in case of power failure or lockups in ATM systems. In the race to deliver 100%…

Retailers trim energy costs by investing in building-control systems geared specifically for their stores Checking the fence line? Use a quarter horse. Entering the Preakness or theKentucky Derby? Saddle up a thoroughbred. Plowing the field or pulling a heavyload? Enlist a draft horse. And a Morgan is just right for pleasure riding.The point is, using…

Labeled “cannibalistic” by some, drive-thru coffee kiosks on c-store lots can perk up in-store java sales. Over the past 11 years, more than 70 of Montanabased Mountain Mudd’ssignature green 8′ by 8′ drive-thru kiosks have popped up in parking lots spanning21 states, and founder Brenda Burkhartsmeier has plans to take over the nationalNo. 2 niche…

When Chevron Corp. (San Ramon, CA) wanted to upgrade the gourmet coffee offerat its ExtraMile Convenience Stores, it went north of the border to tap Canadianroaster Van Houtte to do the brews for a pilot program in the Seattle market.Since May, 43 ExtraMile units in the area have been featuring Van Houtte brandedcoffee stations. The…

Advertising is a severely underutilized tool for convenience retailers, according to one industry guru. So, how much should you allocate for your ad budget—and where should you invest it? Each year, convenience retailers spend an estimated $300 million in advertising.That sounds like a lot of dough, but John Matthews, president of marketing consulting firm Gray…

A new study reveals that customers are ready to take their relationship with your stores and employees to a new level. Are you? Kathy (not her real name) is a grandmother in her late 40s who recently movedfrom an apartment in Scottsdale, AZ, to a house in Phoenix. “So I don’t havemuch connection to my…

Meticulous vendor selection and an intense focus on proper rotation comprise some of the measures retailers take to build fortresses around their food programs. With great power comes great responsibility. So said "Uncle Ben" Parkerto his web-slinging nephew Peter in the 2002 summer smash Spider-Man. Asimilar maxim applies to convenience retailers in the food business:…

First-class service sets Waterway Gas & Wash apart from the crowd. Some people would consider Henry Dubinsky a visionary, a man ahead ofhis time. As far back as 1970, he realized that carwash and gasoline were naturalbedfellows. Dubinsky, chairman and chief executive officer of Waterway Gas &Wash Co., knew even then that the two profit…

Independent marketers have the ability to buy like the big boys. Karen McGuire regards Doug Van Zee, a retail consultant for CHS Inc.,as a key person in her life. As general manager of two Cenex branded locationsin Mitchell, SD, McGuire doesn’t have time to chase down the best deals forher stores. But since she joined…

While creating a safer environment for employees, Kent Oil witnessed as much as a 19% increase in sales in one of two stores testing a new surveillance system. Bill Kent has always had a simple goal: to deliver the best possiblelevel of customer service in his stores. Up till two and a half years ago,…