CHS Inc. has launched a new Cenex Winter Gift Card Campaign designed to help Cenex-branded retailers increase traffic and build incremental sales. The winter campaign includes all new in-store merchandising, three fresh gift card designs and professional installation services for operators, said Rick Cummings, vice president of refined fuels marketing for St. Paul, Minn.-based CHS.…
Avoiding ‘The Checkerboard Effect’
Unlike grocery store shoppers, c-store consumers view the entire store as “one large department with a bunch of pockets of stuff,” said John Clutts, retail practice leader for The Partnering Group in Columbia, Md. This may be something operators focusing on specific sections may not get. The mistake he finds when he walks into c-stores…
Setting the Standards
On a Thursday afternoon in October, Salt Lake City native Brandon Frampton ditched the office, rolled up his sleeves and joined ranks with a handful of front-line Pantry employees at a store in North Carolina. Frampton, 38, hadn’t been vice president of foodservice for the Sanford-based Pantry chain for more than two weeks, and already…
Certified Oil Begins Reimaging
Recognizing a need to update its retail image, offer an expanded array of products and services and attract more women, Certified Oil has launched a multimillion-dollar redesign of its convenience store and petroleum network. The company also said it is developing a prototype design for a new brand of Certified convenience stores. The reimaging project…
BP’s Midwest Shuffle
Petroleum suppliers and c-store operators Ricker Oil Co., of Anderson, Ind., and Atlas Oil Co., of Taylor, Mich., were the big winners last month as part of BP’s plan to sell off its Midwest retail assets. Ricker Oil President Jay Ricker, who owns and operates 29 Ricker’s Convenience Stores throughout Indiana, said he more than…
Finding Balance
Whether it’s maneuvering the fine line between hard work and spending enough quality time with the wife and kids or walking home after one too many at the local pub, finding the right balance is the crucial difference separating success from a split lip. In his poignant memoir, “From Smart to Lucky: Leadership Lessons from…
Game Changers: Lessons Learned From the Election
The 2008 Presidential election will go down as one of the most dynamic elections in U.S. history. I have lived in my neighborhood for 10 years and have never seen an election that brought more diverse signage dotting the lawns around my home. The most interesting representation of this: A nearby house displayed signs for…
7-Eleven Continues Franchise Focus
7-Eleven Inc. said it is continuing its aggressive plan to convert the vast majority of its company-operated stores into franchised operations in the U.S. by 2012. The conversion of company-operated stores in some markets began in 2006, and approximately 4,100, or 75%, of more than 5,600 7-eleven stores in the U.S. are now franchised. Existing…
ExxonMobil Posts Record Quarterly Profits
Irving, Texas-based ExxonMobil beat analysts expectations and set new profit records for the third quarter as it reported net income of $14.83 billion – a 58% increase from the same quarter last year. "ExxonMobil’s strong results in the third quarter of 2008 demonstrate the continuedsuccess of our disciplined business approach,” said ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson.…
Sheetz Opens Another N.C. Store
Sheetz Inc. said it has opened a store in Greenville, N.C., the fourth in that state for the Altoona, Pa.-based retailer. Doors officially opened to customers on Halloween, though employees are hosting a grand opening celebration on Nov. 6. As part of the opening-day celebration, Sheetz plans to make a donation to Greenville Parks and…