CStore Decisions magazine celebrated Savannah, Ga.-based convenience store chain Parker’s with its 31st Chain of the Year Award in a virtual ceremony attended by industry owners, operators and executives from across the nation in an Oct. 8 afternoon event. CStore Decisions Editor-in-Chief John Lofstock presented the award to Parker’s Founder and CEO Greg Parker, emphasizing…
Vape Steams Ahead
E-cigarettes and vaping products are facing headwinds from all sides — from regulatory challenges to competition from nicotine replacement products to disruption amid COVID-19, which has nudged some vapers back to combustible tobacco products. Still, demand for e-cigs and vape products continues to grow. C-store dollar sales of electronic cigarettes have risen a hefty 6.8%…
Join Us Virtually to Celebrate Parker’s as the 2020 Chain of the Year
Join CStore Decisions virtually on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, 2 p.m. EST in celebrating Parker’s as the 2020 Chain of the Year. The Chain of the Year Award showcases the best of the best in convenience retailing, and Parker’s is certainly deserving of a place in this rich tradition. As many industry marketers are struggling to reinvent…
Nominate Young Executives for This Year’s 40 Under 40 Leaders to Watch List
Do you work with bright, up-and-coming young executives or next-generation leaders who are under 40 years old? Each year, CStore Decisions and the Young Executives Organization (YEO) introduce their list of 40 Under 40 C-Store Leaders to Watch. Help CStore Decisions and YEO identify the industry’s top next-generation leaders. Nominees must be retailers from a…
Are C-Stores Rushing into Autonomous Checkout?
Autonomous checkout announcements by 7-Eleven, Alimentation Couche-Tard, Tesco, MasterCard and 60-plus other pilots from 100-plus different suppliers indicate what a liminal moment it is for c-store point of sale (POS) systems. The average age of most POS platforms across the c-store industry is 10 years or more, perhaps the oldest installed POS base of any…
Small Chains Look to Close Digital Divide
Touchless payment — accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic — seems destined to become the future standard. Pilot Co. offers big rig drivers the option to activate the pump with a mobile device. Sam’s Club announced last week it’s bringing digital fuel payment to 518 stations. 7-Eleven allows consumers to use an app for shopping and…
Is COVID-19 a Dress Rehearsal?
By Frank Beard, director of Safe Shop/Director of Special Projects for CStore Decisions, and Brandon Lawrence, fuel consultant Fuel and convenience retailing are at a crossroads. Concerns have been raised for years about the long-term outlook of motor fuels demand, and the COVID-19 pandemic is providing a glimpse of what that future might look like.…
Understanding Blockchain
Blockchain has become a hot topic. But what exactly is it, how does it work, and how can c-stores begin implementing it successfully? On a recent CStore Decisions Live podcast, I spoke with Jeremie Myhren, chief information officer for Rockford, Ill.-based Road Ranger convenience stores, and the chairman of the Young Executives Organization (YEO), to…
Snackers Bite Into Flavor
With the nation enduring COVID-19 lockdown conditions, consumers are spending more time at home working and playing, and they’re reaching for snacks that make them feel good. Indeed, the salty snack segment as a whole has been relatively flat for the year, seeing a 4.7% dip in convenience channel sales during the 21-week period ending…
Hard Seltzer Sparkles
With a majority of customers staying home due to the pandemic, alcoholic beverage shoppers are seeking bulk beverage buys from convenience stores. Multi-packs of hard seltzer or beer, and large boxes of wine are in high demand. But above all, hard seltzer shines as the star of the alcoholic beverage category as c-store customers seek…