Convenience store
Encyclopedia
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish
-speaking areas of the United States
, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order
and wire transfer
services. They differ from general store
s and village shops in that they are not in a rural location, and are used as a convenient supplement to the main shopping rather than being the main store.
A convenience store may form part of gas/petrol stations
. They may be located alongside busy roads, in urban areas, or near railway station
s or other transportation hubs. In some countries convenience stores have long shopping hours
, some being open 24 hours.
Convenience stores are usually more expensive than regular supermarkets, which they make up for with greater convenience by existing at more locations and having shorter cashier lines.
. Some of these stores also offer money orders and wire transfer services. Convenience stores that are near fishing destinations may carry live bait, such as nightcrawlers
or crickets
.
The most common type of foods offered in convenience stores are breakfast sandwiches and other breakfast food. Throughout Europe
convenience stores now sell fresh French bread
(or similar). A process of freezing parbaked
bread allows easy shipment (often from France) and baking in-store. Some stores have a delicatessen counter, offering custom-made sandwiches and baguette
s. Others have racks offering fresh delivered or baked doughnuts from local doughnut shops. Some stores have a self-service microwave oven
for heating purchased food.
In the US, some fast food chains offer a counter in convenience stores. Instead of cooking food in the store, these counters offer a limited menu of items delivered several times a day from a local branch of the restaurant. Convenience stores may be combined with other services, such as a train station ticket counter, post office
counter or a petrol pumps. In Asian countries, like Japan
or Taiwan
, convenience stores are more common because of the higher population density. They are found with gas and train stations, but also can be stand-alone stores. Here, items like soft drinks or snacks are sold. Hot dogs, sausages, hard boiled tea eggs, and fish cake can be found in stores. Delicatessens are absent, instead pre-made sandwiches can be bought. Non-food products like magazines are also sold, but at a lesser extent. Many convenience stores also have a fountain that offers a variety of beverages such as coffee, soft drinks and frozen beverages.
, mass merchandise store, or auto supply store (with the exception of the goods such as milk and fuel in which convenience stores traditionally do high volume and sometimes use as loss leader
s).
The average U.S. convenience store has a sales area of 2768 square feet (257.2 m²). New stores average about 2800 square feet (260.1 m²) of sales area and about 1900 square feet (176.5 m²) of non-sales area — a nod to retailers recognizing the importance of creating destinations within the store that require additional space — whether coffee islands, foodservice areas with seating or financial services kiosks. Convenience stores also have expanded their offerings over the last few years, with stores become part supermarket, restaurant, gas station and even a bank or drug store.
Convenience stores sell approximately 80 percent of the fuels purchased in the United States. In the US, the stores are sometimes the only stores and services near an interstate highway exit where drivers can buy any kind of food or drink for miles. Most of the profit margin from these stores comes from beer, liquor, and cigarettes. Although those three categories themselves usually yield lower margins per item, the sales volume in these categories generally makes up for it. Profits per item are much higher on deli items (bags of ice, chicken, etc.), but sales are generally lower. In some countries most convenience stores have longer shopping hours
, some being open 24 hours.
Inc., which operates Couche-Tard, Provi-Soir, Dépanneur 7, Mac's Convenience Stores
and Beckers Milk, is the largest convenience store chain in Canada. Another large chain is Quickie Mart (whose name predates the fictitious "Kwik-E-Mart
" featured on The Simpsons
). The world's largest convenience retailer, 7-Eleven
, has about 500 locations from British Columbia
to Ontario
. Worldwide, the highest number of the chain's famous Slurpee
beverages are sold in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
; the city is known as the "Slurpee Capital of the World". Marketing itself as "more than just a convenience store," there are over 150 Hasty Market locations throughout Ontario.
Convenience stores are also commonly referred to as "corner stores," "mini-marts," or "variety stores" in some regions of Canada. In the French-speaking province of Quebec
, a convenience store is known as a "dépanneur
", or "dep" for short. "Dépanneur" means literally "one who gets you out of a jam".
, often shortened to , developed tremendously in Japan
. 7-Eleven
Japan, while struggling to localize their service in the 1970s to 1980s, evolved its point of sale
-based business, until ultimately, Seven & I Holdings Co.
, the parent company of 7-Eleven Japan, acquired 7-Eleven (US) from Southland Corporation in 1991. Japanese-style convenience stores also heavily influenced those stores in other Asia
n nations, such as Taiwan
, Thailand
, South Korea
, and China
.
Convenience stores rely heavily on the point of sale. Customers' ages and gender, as well as tomorrow's weather forecast, are important data. Stores place all orders on-line. As the store floor sizes are limited, they have to be very careful in choosing what brands to sell. In many cases, several stores from the same chain do business in neighboring areas. This strategy makes distribution to each store cheaper, as well as making multiple deliveries per day possible. Generally, food goods are delivered to each store two to five times a day from factories. Since products are delivered as needed, stores do not need large stock areas.
According to The Japan Franchise Association, (data pertaining to the month of July 2009), there are 42,345 convenience stores in Japan. 7-Eleven leads the market with 12,467 stores, followed by Lawson
(9,562) and FamilyMart
(7,604). Other operators include Circle K Sunkus
, Daily Yamazaki
, Ministop
, Am/Pm Japan (acquired by Family Mart in 2009), Coco Store and Seico Mart. Many items available in larger supermarkets can be found in Japanese convenience stores, though the selection is usually smaller. As well, the following additional services are also commonly available:
Some stores also sell charging service for electronic money
and ATM services for credit card
or consumer finance
. Items not commonly sold include Slurpee
s, lottery
tickets, car
supplies, and gasoline
.
is the largest chain in the country, it has more than 9,000 stores around the country, although exists other convenience stores like Tiendas Extra
, 7-Eleven
, SuperCity
, AM-PM, between others, the first convenience store opened in the country was Super 7 in 1976 in Monterrey
, Nuevo León
, that from 1995, is called 7-Eleven, also exists some regional chains like Amigo Express and CB Mas that operates in Comarca Lagunera
, Super Q and El Matador
in Queretaro
, Coyote
in Central Mexico and JV
in Northeastern Mexico, as well exists convenience stores only in roads as Los Pits and Autotiendas Duxy, many of which sells fast food like coffee
, hot-dogs and nachos
, cellphone recharges between MXN$20 and MX$500, mainly Telcel
and Movistar
, newspaper
s, magazines, and some of their sells Panini
products and other novelties.
Misceláneas, smaller, family run convenience stores, are often found central and southern Mexico. They operate in rural communities and suburban residential neighborhoods, usually located in front of or below the family's residence. Often fulfill the role of neighborhood meeting points and places to disseminate community news. While offering a more limited, and sometimes varied, assortment of items, than corporate chains, they fill a void in many areas in which corporate companies do not operate. They also provide items in smaller quantities than would be offered for sale in larger stores and markets.
are 7-Eleven
owned by Dairy Farm International Holdings
and Cheers owned by NTUC Fairprice
. Figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics showed that there are 338 7-Eleven stores and 91 Cheers outlets in 2004. Other convenience stores such as Myshop and One Plus appeared in 1983. Myshop belongs to a Japanese company, and One Plus belongs to Emporium Holdings.
Various reasons unique to Singapore have been given for the great popularity of convenience stores there. Convenience stores sell a wide range of imported goods, whereas minimarts and provision shops sell local products with a limited range of non-Asian products. Convenience stores are situated within housing estates thus reducing consumers
’ traveling time. Most families in Singapore are dual-income families. Since both the husband and wife are working, there is greater need for convenience
in shopping
for daily necessities. The 24 hour opening policy allows convenience stores to reach out to a larger group of consumers. Firstly, the policy caters to the shopping
needs of consumers who work shifts or have irregular working hours. Secondly, the policy caters to the increasing number of Singaporeans who are keeping late nights. It was reported that 54% of Singaporeans stayed up past midnight
in an economic review by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) in 2005.
7-Eleven began the trend of convenience stores in Singapore
when it opened its first store in 1982 by Jardine Matheson Group, under a franchise agreement with Southland Corporation of the United States
. Dairy Farm International Holdings
acquired the chain from Jardine Matheson Group in 1989.
The number of 7-Eleven outlets continued to increase in 1984 while other chains were having difficulty in expanding. One Plus was unable to expand due to the shortage of good sites. The original owners of the Myshop franchise, which had seven outlets, sold out to one of its suppliers due to a lack of demand.
However, in 1985, 7-Eleven faced difficulty in finding favourable locations and failed to meet its one-store-a-month target. The situation improved in 1986 with a new Housing Development Board (HDB) tendering system, which allowed 7-Eleven
to secure shops without having to bid too high a price. 7-Eleven stores are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week
, including Sundays and public holidays. This 24/7 policy was seen as the reason that gave 7-Eleven its edge over its competitors.
In 1990, there was a rise in the number of shop thefts in 7-Eleven. The shoplifters were usually teenagers who stole small items such as chocolates, cigarettes and beer
. In response to the increase in the number of thefts, 7-Eleven stepped up security measures, which successfully lowered the crime rate by 60%
Cheers is owned by local corporation NTUC Fairprice
, started in 1999. Cheers has adopted 7-Eleven
’s 24/7
model and taken similar security measures to prevent cases of shop lifting. Convenience store owners seeking franchising
seem to prefer Cheers over 7-Eleven, probably due to its cheaper franchise fee.
Boasting more than 9,100 convenience stores in an area of 35,980 km2 and a population of 23 million, Taiwan
has Asia Pacific’s and perhaps the world’s highest density of convenience stores per person: one store per 2,500 people or .000397 stores per person (convenience store - Wikipedia, October 2007). With 4,665 7-Eleven stores, Taiwan also has the world’s highest density of 7-Elevens per person: one store per 4,930 people or .000203 stores per person (International Licensing page of 7-Eleven website). In Taipei
, it is not unusual to see two 7-Elevens across the street or several of them within a few hundreds of meters of each other.
Because they are found everywhere, convenience stores in Taiwan provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of city parking fees, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. Eighty percent of urban household shoppers in Taiwan visit a convenience store each week (2005 ACNielsen ShopperTrends).
-speaking areas of the U.S., convenience stores are often times called a "bodega", which literally means "warehouse" in Spanish.
The first chain convenience store in the United States
was opened in Dallas, Texas
in 1927 by the Southland Ice Company, which eventually became 7-Eleven
, the largest convenience store chain. In 1939, a dairy
owner named J.J. Lawson started a store at his dairy plant near Akron, Ohio
, to sell his milk. The Lawson
's Milk Company grew to a chain of stores, primarily in Ohio. Circle K
, another large company-owned convenience store chain, was founded in 1951. Since that time many different convenience store brands have developed, and their stores may either be corporate
-owned or franchises
. The items offered for sale tend to be similar despite store brand, and almost always include milk
, bread
, soft drinks, cigarettes, phone cards, coffee
, slushees, candy bars, Twinkies, Slim Jims, hot dogs, ice cream
, candy
, gum
, lip balm
, chips
, pretzels, popcorn
, beef jerky, doughnut
s, map
s, magazine
s, newspapers, small toy
s, car
supplies, feminine hygiene
products, cat food
, dog food
, and toilet paper
. Other less common items include sandwiches
, pizza
, and frozen foods. Nearly all convenience stores also have an automated teller machine
(ATM), though other banking services are usually not available. State lottery tickets are also available at these stores.
In 1966, the U.S. convenience store industry first recorded $1 billion in sales. By the end of the decade, the industry had recorded $3.5 billion a year in sales. By the late 1960s, the amount of 24-hour convenience stores increased to meet the needs of a younger population and people who were working late night or early morning shifts. Not surprisingly, the first 24-hour store opened in Las Vegas in 1963.
Some convenience stores in the United States also sell gasoline
. Only 2,500 stores had self-serve at the pump by 1969. It wasn't until the 1970s that retailers realized selling gasoline could be profitable — and competitive. Policies regarding the sale of adult magazines vary, but generally larger chains (such as 7-Eleven and Casey's General Stores) do not sell these items, while smaller independent stores may do so. One notable exception to this "rule" is fast-growing regional chain Sheetz
, which does sell some soft-core pornographic material such as Playboy
(including its various "special" issues), Penthouse
, and Playgirl
.
Because the laws regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages vary from state to state in the United States, the availability of beer
, wine
, and liquor varies greatly. For example, while convenience stores in Alaska
, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey
cannot sell any kind of alcohol at all, stores in Nevada
, New Mexico, and California
may sell alcoholic beverages of any sort, while stores in Virginia
, Washington, or Oregon
can sell beer and wine, but not liquor. Similar to grocery stores, convenience stores in New York
can sell beer only, not wine or liquor. Altoona, Pennsylvania
-based Sheetz tried to find a loophole
in 2007 by classifying part of one of their prototype stores in Altoona as a restaurant
, which would permit alcohol sales. However, state courts in Pennsylvania
promptly overruled this. Sheetz continues to sell alcohol in other states.
window, even during daylight hours. Some convenience stores even restrict access inside at night, requiring customers to go to a walk-up window specifically for such situations to make purchases. The main dangers are that almost all convenience stores have only one person working the night shift, most of the transactions are in cash, and easily resold merchandise, such as liquor, lottery tickets and cigarette
s are on the premises. Most convenience stores have a cash drop slot into a time-delay safe
so clerks may limit the amount of cash on hand. Many have installed security cameras to help prevent robberies and shoplifting
.
Because of their vulnerability to crime, nearly all convenience stores have a friendly relationship with the local police
. Some even provide a small police substation in the store, and traditionally provide free coffee to police officers. Police officers often patrol the parking lot
of a convenience store, especially after the closing time of bars to apprehend drunk drivers
.
To decrease break-ins while the convenience store is closed, some convenience stores will have bars on the windows.
. They are similar but not identical to Australia
n milk bar
s. In Britain, corner shops in towns and village shops in the countryside served similar purposes and were the precursors to the modern European convenience store (e.g. SPAR
). In the Canadian
province of Quebec
, dépanneur
s (often referred to as "deps" in English) are often family-owned neighbourhood shops that serve similar purposes.
Truck stop
s, also known as "travel centers" combine a shop offering similar goods to a convenience store with amenities for professional drivers
of Semi-trailer truck
s. This may include fast food restaurants, showers and facilities for buying large quantities of diesel fuel. The equivalent in Europe is the motorway service station.
Neighborhood grocery stores not big enough to be considered a supermarket often compete with convenience stores. For example, in Los Angeles, CA, a local chain operates neighborhood grocery stores that fill a niche between a traditional supermarket and convenience store. Because they stock fresh fruit and fresh meat and carry upwards of 5000 items, they have a lot in common with the supermarket. Due to the relatively small store size, customers can get in and out conveniently, or have purchases delivered. In Brussels, Belgium, conveniences stores are known as night shops.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking areas of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order
Money order
A money order is a payment order for a pre-specified amount of money. Because it is required that the funds be prepaid for the amount shown on it, it is a more trusted method of payment than a cheque.-History of money orders:...
and wire transfer
Wire transfer
Wire transfer or credit transfer is a method of electronic funds transfer from one person or institution to another. A wire transfer can be made from one bank account to another bank account or through a transfer of cash at a cash office...
services. They differ from general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s and village shops in that they are not in a rural location, and are used as a convenient supplement to the main shopping rather than being the main store.
A convenience store may form part of gas/petrol stations
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
. They may be located alongside busy roads, in urban areas, or near railway station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
s or other transportation hubs. In some countries convenience stores have long shopping hours
Shopping hours
Customs and regulations for shopping hours vary from country to country.-Shopping days and impact of holidays:Some countries do not allow Sunday shopping. In Islamic countries some shops are closed on Fridays during noon...
, some being open 24 hours.
Convenience stores are usually more expensive than regular supermarkets, which they make up for with greater convenience by existing at more locations and having shorter cashier lines.
Types
Various types exist, for example: liquor stores (off-licences–offies), mini-markets (mini-marts) or party stores. Typically junk food (sweets, ice-cream, soft drinks), lottery tickets, newspapers and magazines are sold. Unless the outlet is a liquor store, the range of alcohol beverages is likely to be limited (i.e. beer and wine) or non-existent. Most stores carry cigarettes and other tobacco products. Varying degrees of food and grocery supplies are usually available, from household products, to prepackaged foods like sandwiches and frozen burritos. Automobile-related items such as motor oil, maps and car kits may be sold. Often toiletries and other hygiene products are stocked, as well as feminine hygiene and contraceptionContraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
. Some of these stores also offer money orders and wire transfer services. Convenience stores that are near fishing destinations may carry live bait, such as nightcrawlers
Nightcrawlers
Nightcrawlers are a form of earthworm. Prized primarily for use as fishing bait, nightcrawlers are generally known as either Canadian or European...
or crickets
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
.
The most common type of foods offered in convenience stores are breakfast sandwiches and other breakfast food. Throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
convenience stores now sell fresh French bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
(or similar). A process of freezing parbaked
Parbaking
Parbaking is a cooking technique in which a bread or dough product is partially baked and then rapidly frozen for storage. The raw dough is baked as if normal, but halted at about 80% of the normal cooking time, when it is rapidly cooled and frozen...
bread allows easy shipment (often from France) and baking in-store. Some stores have a delicatessen counter, offering custom-made sandwiches and baguette
Baguette
A baguette is "a long thin loaf of French bread" that is commonly made from basic lean dough...
s. Others have racks offering fresh delivered or baked doughnuts from local doughnut shops. Some stores have a self-service microwave oven
Microwave oven
A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food...
for heating purchased food.
In the US, some fast food chains offer a counter in convenience stores. Instead of cooking food in the store, these counters offer a limited menu of items delivered several times a day from a local branch of the restaurant. Convenience stores may be combined with other services, such as a train station ticket counter, post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
counter or a petrol pumps. In Asian countries, like Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
or Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, convenience stores are more common because of the higher population density. They are found with gas and train stations, but also can be stand-alone stores. Here, items like soft drinks or snacks are sold. Hot dogs, sausages, hard boiled tea eggs, and fish cake can be found in stores. Delicatessens are absent, instead pre-made sandwiches can be bought. Non-food products like magazines are also sold, but at a lesser extent. Many convenience stores also have a fountain that offers a variety of beverages such as coffee, soft drinks and frozen beverages.
Differences from supermarkets
Although larger, newer convenience stores have quite a broad range of items, the selection is still limited compared to supermarkets, and in many stores only 1 or 2 choices are available. Prices in a convenience store are typically higher than at a supermarketSupermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, mass merchandise store, or auto supply store (with the exception of the goods such as milk and fuel in which convenience stores traditionally do high volume and sometimes use as loss leader
Loss leader
A loss leader or leader is a product sold at a low price to stimulate other profitable sales. It is a kind of sales promotion, in other words marketing concentrating on a pricing strategy. A loss leader is often a popular article...
s).
The average U.S. convenience store has a sales area of 2768 square feet (257.2 m²). New stores average about 2800 square feet (260.1 m²) of sales area and about 1900 square feet (176.5 m²) of non-sales area — a nod to retailers recognizing the importance of creating destinations within the store that require additional space — whether coffee islands, foodservice areas with seating or financial services kiosks. Convenience stores also have expanded their offerings over the last few years, with stores become part supermarket, restaurant, gas station and even a bank or drug store.
Convenience stores sell approximately 80 percent of the fuels purchased in the United States. In the US, the stores are sometimes the only stores and services near an interstate highway exit where drivers can buy any kind of food or drink for miles. Most of the profit margin from these stores comes from beer, liquor, and cigarettes. Although those three categories themselves usually yield lower margins per item, the sales volume in these categories generally makes up for it. Profits per item are much higher on deli items (bags of ice, chicken, etc.), but sales are generally lower. In some countries most convenience stores have longer shopping hours
Shopping hours
Customs and regulations for shopping hours vary from country to country.-Shopping days and impact of holidays:Some countries do not allow Sunday shopping. In Islamic countries some shops are closed on Fridays during noon...
, some being open 24 hours.
Canada
Alimentation Couche-TardAlimentation Couche-Tard
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. or simply Couche-Tard is one of the largest company-owned convenience store operators in the world with up to 6,000 stores across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Japan, China, Indonesia and Guam....
Inc., which operates Couche-Tard, Provi-Soir, Dépanneur 7, Mac's Convenience Stores
Mac's Convenience Stores
Mac's Convenience Stores, Inc. is a chain of convenience stores in Canada. The Company is divided into three geographic business units: Eastern Canada, Central Canada and Western Canada. It has been owned and operated by Alimentation Couche-Tard since 1999....
and Beckers Milk, is the largest convenience store chain in Canada. Another large chain is Quickie Mart (whose name predates the fictitious "Kwik-E-Mart
Kwik-E-Mart
The Kwik-E-Mart is a fictional chain of convenience stores in the animated television series The Simpsons. It is a parody of American convenience store chains, such as 7-Eleven and Circle K, and represents many myths and stereotypes of them. It is notorious for its high prices and the poor quality...
" featured on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
). The world's largest convenience retailer, 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
, has about 500 locations from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Worldwide, the highest number of the chain's famous Slurpee
Slurpee
A Slurpee is a flavored frozen drink sold by 7-Eleven. In 1967, 7-Eleven licensed the product from the ICEE Company, and began selling it as the Slurpee.-Slurpee history:Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s...
beverages are sold in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
; the city is known as the "Slurpee Capital of the World". Marketing itself as "more than just a convenience store," there are over 150 Hasty Market locations throughout Ontario.
Convenience stores are also commonly referred to as "corner stores," "mini-marts," or "variety stores" in some regions of Canada. In the French-speaking province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, a convenience store is known as a "dépanneur
Dépanneur
A dépanneur is a convenience store, usually part of a chain, or an independently-run corner shop, general store or deli, in the province of Quebec in Canada...
", or "dep" for short. "Dépanneur" means literally "one who gets you out of a jam".
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
Japan, while struggling to localize their service in the 1970s to 1980s, evolved its point of sale
Point of sale
Point of sale or checkout is the location where a transaction occurs...
-based business, until ultimately, Seven & I Holdings Co.
Seven & I Holdings Co.
is a diversified retail group headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Founded originally in 1920 as Ito-Yokado, Seven & I is now the fifth largest retailer in the world, with 35,000 stores in approximately 100 countries.-History:...
, the parent company of 7-Eleven Japan, acquired 7-Eleven (US) from Southland Corporation in 1991. Japanese-style convenience stores also heavily influenced those stores in other Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n nations, such as Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Convenience stores rely heavily on the point of sale. Customers' ages and gender, as well as tomorrow's weather forecast, are important data. Stores place all orders on-line. As the store floor sizes are limited, they have to be very careful in choosing what brands to sell. In many cases, several stores from the same chain do business in neighboring areas. This strategy makes distribution to each store cheaper, as well as making multiple deliveries per day possible. Generally, food goods are delivered to each store two to five times a day from factories. Since products are delivered as needed, stores do not need large stock areas.
According to The Japan Franchise Association, (data pertaining to the month of July 2009), there are 42,345 convenience stores in Japan. 7-Eleven leads the market with 12,467 stores, followed by Lawson
Lawson (store)
Lawson, Inc. is a convenience store franchise chain in Japan. The store originated in the U.S. State of Ohio, but today exists as a Japanese company and is the second largest convenience store chain in the country....
(9,562) and FamilyMart
FamilyMart
is a convenience store franchise chain first opened in Japan on September 1, 1981. FamilyMart is Japan's third largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven and Lawson, and the largest chain store in South Korea. FamilyMart is owned and overseen by FamilyMart Company, Limited...
(7,604). Other operators include Circle K Sunkus
Circle K Sunkus
' is a chain of company-operated and franchised convenience stores in Japan. The company is a division of UNY Co., Ltd., which licensed the Circle K name from Alimentation Couche-Tard, a Canadian convenience store company that owns the Circle K brand....
, Daily Yamazaki
Daily Yamazaki
Daily Yamazaki is a "konbini" or convenience store franchise chain in Japan established on December 21, 1977. The convenience store chain is owned by Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd, Japan's largest baking company. Daily Yamazaki sells baked goods such as bread and pastry, and other confectioneries in...
, Ministop
Ministop
, a member of ÆON Group, operates the Ministop convenience store franchise chain in Japan. Unlike most other convenience stores in Japan, Ministop stores feature a kitchen that prepares sandwiches, snacks and take out bento boxes on demand, and has a seating area where customers can sit down and...
, Am/Pm Japan (acquired by Family Mart in 2009), Coco Store and Seico Mart. Many items available in larger supermarkets can be found in Japanese convenience stores, though the selection is usually smaller. As well, the following additional services are also commonly available:
- CourierCourierA courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
and postal serviceMailMail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
. - Photocopying and faxFaxFax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
service. - Automated teller machineAutomated teller machineAn automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s. - Payment service for utilities and other bills and taxes.
- Ticket service for concertConcertA concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s, theme parksAmusement parkthumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, airlines etc. - Pre-paid cards for cellular phones
Some stores also sell charging service for electronic money
Electronic money
Electronic money is money or scrip that is only exchanged electronically. Typically, this involves the use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems...
and ATM services for credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
or consumer finance
Consumer finance
Alternative financial services in the United States refers to a particular type of financial service, namely sub-prime lending by non-bank financial institutions. This branch of the financial services industry is more extensive in the United States than in some other countries, because the major...
. Items not commonly sold include Slurpee
Slurpee
A Slurpee is a flavored frozen drink sold by 7-Eleven. In 1967, 7-Eleven licensed the product from the ICEE Company, and began selling it as the Slurpee.-Slurpee history:Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s...
s, lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
tickets, car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
supplies, and gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
.
Mexico
OxxoOXXO
OXXO is a primarily-franchised chain of convenience stores from Mexico, with over 7,000 stores across Latin America. It is the largest chain of this kind of store in Mexico. It is wholly owned by the beverage company FEMSA...
is the largest chain in the country, it has more than 9,000 stores around the country, although exists other convenience stores like Tiendas Extra
Tiendas Extra
Extra is a convenience store chain owned by Grupo Modelo and started operations in 1993. In 2007 the chain closed 650 stores and in 2009 started another restructuring plan, it competes fiercely with Oxxo from Femsa, 7-Eleven from Casa Chapa and SuperCity from Soriana, the point of sale is provided...
, 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
, SuperCity
SuperCity
SuperCity is a subscription website by Pop Rock band McFly. The idea simply came with a revamp of their official website. It has exclusive content such as Videos, Games, Offers, Meet&Great, Downloads basically money can't buy opportunities. During the 2011 Above the Noise tour McFly let 'Pioneers'...
, AM-PM, between others, the first convenience store opened in the country was Super 7 in 1976 in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
, that from 1995, is called 7-Eleven, also exists some regional chains like Amigo Express and CB Mas that operates in Comarca Lagunera
Comarca Lagunera
The Comarca Lagunera is the 9th largest metropolitan area in Mexico, and is located between two states, Coahuila and Durango.-Geography:The Comarca Lagunera is formed by 15 municipios; 5 in Coahuila The Comarca Lagunera is the 9th largest metropolitan area in Mexico, and is located between two...
, Super Q and El Matador
El Matador
"Matador" is a song written and sung by Gabriel Julio Fernandez Capello , the lead singer of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, a rock band from Argentina...
in Queretaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
, Coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
in Central Mexico and JV
JV
JV can mean:*Bearskin Airlines IATA airline designator*Jack Valenti, the former head of the Motion Picture Association of America*Jaclyn Victor, the first Malaysian Idol winner*John Virgo, a snooker player and commentator...
in Northeastern Mexico, as well exists convenience stores only in roads as Los Pits and Autotiendas Duxy, many of which sells fast food like coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, hot-dogs and nachos
Nachos
Nachos are a popular food based on nixtamalized corn, of Mexican origin associated with Tex-Mex cuisine that can be either made quickly to serve as a snack or prepared with more ingredients to make a full meal. In their simplest form, nachos are tortilla chips or totopos covered in melted cheese...
, cellphone recharges between MXN$20 and MX$500, mainly Telcel
Telcel
Telcel is Mexico's largest mobile phone carrier, owned by América Móvil. Founded in 1989 and based in Mexico City, Telcel is the leading provider of wireless communications services in Mexico. As of December 31, 2006, Telcel's cellular network covered more than 63% of the geographical area of...
and Movistar
Movistar
Movistar is a major Spanish mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica Móviles. It operates in Spain and in many Latin American countries. It is the largest carrier in Spain with 22 million customers and 41.58% of market share. Its principal competitor in Latin America is America Movil...
, newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, magazines, and some of their sells Panini
Panini Comics
Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, best known for their collectible stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy...
products and other novelties.
Misceláneas, smaller, family run convenience stores, are often found central and southern Mexico. They operate in rural communities and suburban residential neighborhoods, usually located in front of or below the family's residence. Often fulfill the role of neighborhood meeting points and places to disseminate community news. While offering a more limited, and sometimes varied, assortment of items, than corporate chains, they fill a void in many areas in which corporate companies do not operate. They also provide items in smaller quantities than would be offered for sale in larger stores and markets.
Singapore
Major convenience stores in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
are 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
owned by Dairy Farm International Holdings
Dairy Farm International Holdings
Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited is a retail company in Asia, with a legal base in Bermuda. A member of the Jardine Matheson Group, it is a leading pan-Asian retailer which processes food, wholesales food and personal hygiene products in the Pacific region and in China. Jardine Strategic,...
and Cheers owned by NTUC Fairprice
NTUC FairPrice
NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative is a supermarket chain based in Singapore and the largest in the country. The company is a co-operative of the National Trades Union Congress or NTUC. The group has 100 supermarkets across the island, with over 50 outlets of Cheers convenience stores island-wide...
. Figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics showed that there are 338 7-Eleven stores and 91 Cheers outlets in 2004. Other convenience stores such as Myshop and One Plus appeared in 1983. Myshop belongs to a Japanese company, and One Plus belongs to Emporium Holdings.
Various reasons unique to Singapore have been given for the great popularity of convenience stores there. Convenience stores sell a wide range of imported goods, whereas minimarts and provision shops sell local products with a limited range of non-Asian products. Convenience stores are situated within housing estates thus reducing consumers
Consumer
Consumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer occurs in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary.-Economics and marketing:...
’ traveling time. Most families in Singapore are dual-income families. Since both the husband and wife are working, there is greater need for convenience
Convenience
Convenience is anything that is intended to save resources or frustration. A convenience store at a petrol station, for example, sells items that have nothing to do with gasoline/petrol, but it saves the consumer from having to go to a grocery store."Convenience" is a very relative term and its...
in shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
for daily necessities. The 24 hour opening policy allows convenience stores to reach out to a larger group of consumers. Firstly, the policy caters to the shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
needs of consumers who work shifts or have irregular working hours. Secondly, the policy caters to the increasing number of Singaporeans who are keeping late nights. It was reported that 54% of Singaporeans stayed up past midnight
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
in an economic review by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) in 2005.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven began the trend of convenience stores in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
when it opened its first store in 1982 by Jardine Matheson Group, under a franchise agreement with Southland Corporation of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Dairy Farm International Holdings
Dairy Farm International Holdings
Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited is a retail company in Asia, with a legal base in Bermuda. A member of the Jardine Matheson Group, it is a leading pan-Asian retailer which processes food, wholesales food and personal hygiene products in the Pacific region and in China. Jardine Strategic,...
acquired the chain from Jardine Matheson Group in 1989.
The number of 7-Eleven outlets continued to increase in 1984 while other chains were having difficulty in expanding. One Plus was unable to expand due to the shortage of good sites. The original owners of the Myshop franchise, which had seven outlets, sold out to one of its suppliers due to a lack of demand.
However, in 1985, 7-Eleven faced difficulty in finding favourable locations and failed to meet its one-store-a-month target. The situation improved in 1986 with a new Housing Development Board (HDB) tendering system, which allowed 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
to secure shops without having to bid too high a price. 7-Eleven stores are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week
Week
A week is a time unit equal to seven days.The English word week continues an Old English wice, ultimately from a Common Germanic , from a root "turn, move, change"...
, including Sundays and public holidays. This 24/7 policy was seen as the reason that gave 7-Eleven its edge over its competitors.
In 1990, there was a rise in the number of shop thefts in 7-Eleven. The shoplifters were usually teenagers who stole small items such as chocolates, cigarettes and beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
. In response to the increase in the number of thefts, 7-Eleven stepped up security measures, which successfully lowered the crime rate by 60%
Cheers
NTUC FairPrice
NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative is a supermarket chain based in Singapore and the largest in the country. The company is a co-operative of the National Trades Union Congress or NTUC. The group has 100 supermarkets across the island, with over 50 outlets of Cheers convenience stores island-wide...
, started in 1999. Cheers has adopted 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
’s 24/7
24/7
24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption...
model and taken similar security measures to prevent cases of shop lifting. Convenience store owners seeking franchising
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
seem to prefer Cheers over 7-Eleven, probably due to its cheaper franchise fee.
Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
has Asia Pacific’s and perhaps the world’s highest density of convenience stores per person: one store per 2,500 people or .000397 stores per person (convenience store - Wikipedia, October 2007). With 4,665 7-Eleven stores, Taiwan also has the world’s highest density of 7-Elevens per person: one store per 4,930 people or .000203 stores per person (International Licensing page of 7-Eleven website). In Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, it is not unusual to see two 7-Elevens across the street or several of them within a few hundreds of meters of each other.
Because they are found everywhere, convenience stores in Taiwan provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of city parking fees, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. Eighty percent of urban household shoppers in Taiwan visit a convenience store each week (2005 ACNielsen ShopperTrends).
United States
The U.S. convenience store industry, with nearly 145,000 stores across the country, posted $511 billion in total sales in 2009, with $328 billion in motor fuels sales. In SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking areas of the U.S., convenience stores are often times called a "bodega", which literally means "warehouse" in Spanish.
The first chain convenience store in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was opened in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
in 1927 by the Southland Ice Company, which eventually became 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
, the largest convenience store chain. In 1939, a dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
owner named J.J. Lawson started a store at his dairy plant near Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, to sell his milk. The Lawson
Lawson (store)
Lawson, Inc. is a convenience store franchise chain in Japan. The store originated in the U.S. State of Ohio, but today exists as a Japanese company and is the second largest convenience store chain in the country....
's Milk Company grew to a chain of stores, primarily in Ohio. Circle K
Circle K
Circle K is an international chain of convenience stores, founded in 1951, in El Paso, Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by the Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard.-Overview:...
, another large company-owned convenience store chain, was founded in 1951. Since that time many different convenience store brands have developed, and their stores may either be corporate
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
-owned or franchises
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
. The items offered for sale tend to be similar despite store brand, and almost always include milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
, soft drinks, cigarettes, phone cards, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, slushees, candy bars, Twinkies, Slim Jims, hot dogs, ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
, gum
Chewing gum
Chewing gum is a type of gum traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene. For economical and quality reasons, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle...
, lip balm
Lip balm
Lip balm or lip salve is a wax-like substance applied topically to the lips of the mouth to relieve chapped or dry lips, angular cheilitis, stomatitis, or cold sores. Lip balm often contains beeswax or carnauba wax, camphor, cetyl alcohol, lanolin, paraffin, and petrolatum, among other ingredients...
, chips
Chips
-Food:*A thick version of French fries, strips of deep-fried potato*Potato chips , a snack food comprising thin slices of fried potatoes*Tortilla chips, a snack food made from corn tortillas*Corn chips a snack food made from corn...
, pretzels, popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
, beef jerky, doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
s, map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
s, magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s, newspapers, small toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
supplies, feminine hygiene
Feminine hygiene
Feminine hygiene is a general euphemism used to describe personal care products used by women during menstruation, vaginal discharge, and other bodily functions related to the vulva...
products, cat food
Cat food
Cat food is food intended for consumption by cats.As with all species, cats have requirements for specific dietary nutrients, rather than ingredients. Certain nutrients, including many vitamins and amino acids, are degraded by the temperatures, pressures and chemical treatments used during...
, dog food
Dog food
Dog food refers to food specifically intended for consumption by dogs. Though technically omnivorous, dogs exhibit a natural carnivorous bias, have sharp, pointy teeth, and have short gastrointestinal tracts better suited for the consumption of meat...
, and toilet paper
Toilet paper
Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain personal hygiene after human defecation or urination. However, it can also be used for other purposes such as blowing one's nose when one has a cold or absorbing common spills around the house, although paper towels are more used for the latter...
. Other less common items include sandwiches
Sandwiches
"Sandwiches" is a song by American electronic band Detroit Grand Pubahs. It reached number 29 in the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.- Track listing :...
, pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
, and frozen foods. Nearly all convenience stores also have an automated teller machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
(ATM), though other banking services are usually not available. State lottery tickets are also available at these stores.
In 1966, the U.S. convenience store industry first recorded $1 billion in sales. By the end of the decade, the industry had recorded $3.5 billion a year in sales. By the late 1960s, the amount of 24-hour convenience stores increased to meet the needs of a younger population and people who were working late night or early morning shifts. Not surprisingly, the first 24-hour store opened in Las Vegas in 1963.
Some convenience stores in the United States also sell gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
. Only 2,500 stores had self-serve at the pump by 1969. It wasn't until the 1970s that retailers realized selling gasoline could be profitable — and competitive. Policies regarding the sale of adult magazines vary, but generally larger chains (such as 7-Eleven and Casey's General Stores) do not sell these items, while smaller independent stores may do so. One notable exception to this "rule" is fast-growing regional chain Sheetz
Sheetz
Sheetz, Inc. is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores owned by the Sheetz family. Stores are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia....
, which does sell some soft-core pornographic material such as Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
(including its various "special" issues), Penthouse
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
, and Playgirl
Playgirl
Playgirl is a print quarterly adult magazine published in the United States that is marketed mainly to heterosexual women, but has also gained a considerable gay following...
.
Because the laws regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages vary from state to state in the United States, the availability of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, and liquor varies greatly. For example, while convenience stores in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
cannot sell any kind of alcohol at all, stores in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Mexico, and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
may sell alcoholic beverages of any sort, while stores in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Washington, or Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
can sell beer and wine, but not liquor. Similar to grocery stores, convenience stores in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
can sell beer only, not wine or liquor. Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
-based Sheetz tried to find a loophole
Loophole
A loophole is a weakness that allows a system to be circumvented.Loophole may also refer to:*Arrowslit, a slit in a castle wall*Loophole , a short science fiction story by Arthur C...
in 2007 by classifying part of one of their prototype stores in Altoona as a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, which would permit alcohol sales. However, state courts in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
promptly overruled this. Sheetz continues to sell alcohol in other states.
Crime
American convenience stores are often a direct target of armed robbery. In some areas of the United States, it is not uncommon for clerks to work behind a bulletproof glassBulletproof glass
Bulletproof glass is a type of strong but optically transparent material that is particularly resistant to being penetrated when struck by bullets, but is not completely impenetrable. It is usually made from a combination of two or more types of glass, one hard and one soft...
window, even during daylight hours. Some convenience stores even restrict access inside at night, requiring customers to go to a walk-up window specifically for such situations to make purchases. The main dangers are that almost all convenience stores have only one person working the night shift, most of the transactions are in cash, and easily resold merchandise, such as liquor, lottery tickets and cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s are on the premises. Most convenience stores have a cash drop slot into a time-delay safe
Safe
A safe is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or damage. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door may be cast from metal or formed out of plastic through blow molding...
so clerks may limit the amount of cash on hand. Many have installed security cameras to help prevent robberies and shoplifting
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
.
Because of their vulnerability to crime, nearly all convenience stores have a friendly relationship with the local police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. Some even provide a small police substation in the store, and traditionally provide free coffee to police officers. Police officers often patrol the parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
of a convenience store, especially after the closing time of bars to apprehend drunk drivers
Drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
.
To decrease break-ins while the convenience store is closed, some convenience stores will have bars on the windows.
Similar concepts
Convenience stores to some extent replaced the old-fashioned general storeGeneral store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
. They are similar but not identical to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n milk bar
Milk bar
Milk bar is a term in some parts of Australia for suburban local shops or general stores. They are known as tuck shops, delicatessens or delis in South Australia and Western Australia, and as corner stores in Queensland and New South Wales...
s. In Britain, corner shops in towns and village shops in the countryside served similar purposes and were the precursors to the modern European convenience store (e.g. SPAR
SPAR
Spar , trades from approximately 12400 stores in 34 countries worldwide and is the world's largest independent voluntary retail trading chain. Spar was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 by retailer Adriaan Van Well and now, through its affiliate organisations, operates through most European...
). In the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, dépanneur
Dépanneur
A dépanneur is a convenience store, usually part of a chain, or an independently-run corner shop, general store or deli, in the province of Quebec in Canada...
s (often referred to as "deps" in English) are often family-owned neighbourhood shops that serve similar purposes.
Truck stop
Truck stop
A truck stop is a commercial facility predicated on providing fuel, parking, and often food and other services to motorists and truck drivers...
s, also known as "travel centers" combine a shop offering similar goods to a convenience store with amenities for professional drivers
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
of Semi-trailer truck
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s. This may include fast food restaurants, showers and facilities for buying large quantities of diesel fuel. The equivalent in Europe is the motorway service station.
Neighborhood grocery stores not big enough to be considered a supermarket often compete with convenience stores. For example, in Los Angeles, CA, a local chain operates neighborhood grocery stores that fill a niche between a traditional supermarket and convenience store. Because they stock fresh fruit and fresh meat and carry upwards of 5000 items, they have a lot in common with the supermarket. Due to the relatively small store size, customers can get in and out conveniently, or have purchases delivered. In Brussels, Belgium, conveniences stores are known as night shops.
See also
- List of convenience stores
- National Association of Convenience StoresNational Association of Convenience StoresNACS is an international trade association representing the convenience and fuel retailing industry.-Background:NACS was founded August 14, 1961, as the National Association of Convenience Stores. It is an international trade association representing more than 2,100 retail and 1,500 supplier...
- Bodeguita
- Charging stationCharging stationAn electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
- General storeGeneral storeA general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
- Gas station
- Take a penny, leave a pennyTake a penny, leave a pennyTake a penny, leave a penny refers to a type of tray, dish or cup often found in gas stations, convenience stores, and other small stores in North America, meant for convenience in cash transactions...
External links
- Convenience Store News (convenience store industry trade publication and online news source)
- Convenience Store Decisions (convenience store industry trade publication)
- cstore life magazine (The official publication of the Canadian Convenience Stores Association)
- Australian Convenience Store News ( industry trade publication)
- NACS, the Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing
- Convenience Central(convenience store industry trade publications, event and news source)