Convenience Store

Convenience Store

A convenience store, bodega, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, fruits, vegetables, snacks, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tickets, over-the-counter drugs, toiletries, newspapers and magazines.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} In some jurisdictions, convenience stores are licensed to sell alcoholic drinks, although many jurisdictions limit such beverages to those with relatively low alcohol content, like beer and wine. The stores may also offer money order and wire transfer services, along with the use of a fax machine or photocopier for a small per-copy cost. Some also sell tickets or recharge smart cards, e.g. OPUS cards in Montreal or include a small deli.^[6] They differ from general stores and village shops in that they are not in a rural location and are used as a convenient supplement to larger stores.

A convenience store may be part of a gas/petrol station, so customers can purchase goods while refuelling their vehicle.^[2] It may be located alongside a busy road, in an urban area, near a railway or railroad station or other transport hub. In some countries, convenience stores have long shopping hours and some remain open 24 hours.

C-Store Examples

7-eleven is a famous example of a convenience store that is operating 24/7

The chain has more than 70K retail locations that are either operated by the company or franchised to other operators. It is present in 19 countries, and has more than 130K employees.

Why is it Called Convenience Store?

It is called convenience store because it is open in a convenient location that is close to customers, so they don’t need to drive or make a special trip to shop essential items. Another reasons for this name is also the fact that many c-stores are open 24 hours, making it convenient for customers who have an urgent need for an essential item and want to buy it on the spot.

Convenience Store Vs. Supermarket

A convenience store has a much limited product assortment than a supermarket. Even for the same category of products that they would both carry, a c-store would have a lower breadth 

Different types of Convenience store

1. Kiosk

The kiosk format of convenience stores is the most basic format of convenience stores. These stores are usually less than 800 square feet and provide little bit additional revenue other than the revenue generated by the gasoline sales. However, selling gasoline is always the priority of the store owner as the store owner is usually a petroleum marketer or an oil company. 

2. Mini Convenience store

The mini convenience stores are a little larger than the kiosk stores. This store format is usually 800 – 1200  square feet in size and is adopted popularly by oil companies, and the significant emphasis is given on the sales of gasoline. 

3.Traditional convenience Store

The traditional convenience stores are the most common type of convenience store, and many original convenience stores fall under this category.  The size of traditional convenience stores is usually 2400 – 2500 square feet. These stores offer quite a more extensive range of product mixes such as bakery, dairy, beverages, snack food, grocery, tobacco, confectionery goods, health and beauty products, prepared foods to go, frozen or fresh meat, gasoline, and various other items.

Largest Convenience Store Chains

7‑Eleven is the world’s #1 convenience store with one simple focus, ‘Innovating to make life easier for the customers’. Founded in 1927 as an ice and beverage stand in Dallas, today 7-Eleven is a brand loved all around the world. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven is owned by Chiyoda, a Tokyo-based Seven & I Holdings Co. Ltd.

The store name ‘7-Eleven’ was created in 1946, to reflect the company’s new extended hours, 7:00am to 11:00pm, all days of the week. In the early 1960s, 7-Eleven introduced its first 24-hour store which is now a hallmark of 7-Eleven’s ‘around-the-clock’ operating mode. Today, 7-Eleven is the leader in convenience retailing with a network of over 71,100 stores operating in 17 plus countries and regions globally.

Circle K Stores, Inc. is a chain of convenience stores that is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and owned by Alimentation Couche-Tard, based in Laval, Quebec, Canada.^[7] Founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990 and went through several owners, before being acquired by Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2003.^[2][1] As of February 2020, Circle K has 9,799 stores in North America, 2,697 stores in Europe, and an additional 2,380 stores operating under franchise agreements worldwide.^[1]