The stagnant economy and hefty cigarette taxes have more c-store chains adding extra roller grill items to provide a greater array of hot food options at a value price. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Yes, the number of food items that can be prepared on roller grills—hot dogs, corn dogs, taquitos, stuffed breadsticks, kielbasa, grilled…
MotoMart Acquires Two QuikTrip Stores
“Those two stores no longer suited our long-term needs,” QuikTrip Spokesperson says. QuikTrip stores in O’Fallon, Ill., and Cahokia, Ill., are set to be converted to MotoMart gas stations and convenience stores, which are owned by Belleville, Ill.-based FKG Oil Co., the Belleville News-Democrat reported. QuikTrip Spokesperson Mike Thornbrugh told the Belleville News-Democrat that while…
QuikTrip Enters Spartanburg, S.C.
Tulsa, Okla.-based convenience store chain QuikTrip is planning to enter South Carolina with a new store at 489 W. Main St., positioning itself for a major entrance into South Carolina, The Spartanburg, S.C. Herald-Journal reported. The 5,000-square-foot Spartanburg store will be one of the first QuikTrips in the state when it opens in late 2011.…
Love’s Ranks No. 18 On 2010 Forbes List
Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores (Love’s) is celebrating its 10th consecutive year on Forbes magazine’s annual list of the nation’s largest privately held companies. The Oklahoma City, Okla.-based operator of convenience stores and travel centers, which debuted in the 2000 Forbes list at No. 446, now ranks as No. 18 among private U.S. companies…
QuikTrip Selling Five Stores
Tulsa-based QuikTrip is selling its five Springfield, Mo.-based convenience stores, The Springfield, Mo. News Ledger reported. QuikTrip is focusing its efforts on very large metropolitan markets, and Springfield no longer fits the company’s plans, noted spokesman Mike Thornbrugh. “It’s accurate that the stores ultimately will be sold,” he told the News Ledger. “But there is…
Delivering the Goods
Winning Over CPG Customers According to a new study commissioned by MEI Computer Technology Group Inc., there is an increased emphasis on improving trade promotion effectiveness, as consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers look to bolster the value and return on their trade spend, and capture wallet share from consumers. Despite the current climate,…
QuikTrip Expands Rewards Debit Card Program
QuikTrip is expanding its QuikTrip Rewards Debit Card program, using Tempo’s affinity debit card platform and re-issuing the cards with Tempo partner First Bank & Trust of Brookings, S.D., part of Fishback Financial Corp. Tempo-powered affinity debit cards link to consumers’ existing checking accounts and can be used everywhere Discover cards are accepted. The QuikTrip…
Sweet Success
There’s little doubt that bakeries are big. Bakeries, pastry shops and bagel sellers are growing at a rate of 5%, according to AnythingResearch.com. When launching a bakery program, convenience store retailers are urged to start with an in-depth market study that profiles the target customer base, current sales in the market area for the product…
Consumer Confidence Returning?
Impulse purchases of sodas, Hershey bars and snacks are on the upswing at U.S. convenience stores, a sign the economy and consumer confidence might slowly be turning around, Bloomberg.com reported. The decline in soda sales at convenience stores slowed last quarter for the first time in at least a year, according to PepsiCo and Coca-Cola,…
Working to Make a Difference
An introspective look at life through the fading eyes of a genius. As our 28 year old daughter lay ill in Emory University Hospital, a wonderful second-generation Spanish surgeon knelt down and held my wife’s hands to share words of wisdom he learned from his father. He imparted to us what a great privilege it…