CStore Decisions

Boston-based fruit smoothie machine maker smoodi is the brainchild of a pair of engineers who also harbor an entrepreneurial spirit. Senior Editor Thomas Mulloy and CStore Decisions Live talked with Munich-born Pascal Kriesche, one half of the duo collaborating to deliver fruit-based smoothies to customers looking for a refreshing beverage that’s healthy, fresh and clean – while featuring transpar...

CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Sal Hassan, president and CEO of H&S Energy, and his son Amir Hassan, operations coordinator for H&S Energy. The family-owned company is expanding its network of company-owned Power Market convenience stores and ExtraMile locations, while launching a wholesale distribution branch, proprietary delivery service, loyalty program and develop...

CStore Decisions catches up with Central Washington University (CWU) Executive Chef Joe Ritchie about the campus' new Fresh Bar Concept, which offers healthy food options using fresh produce grown right on campus, as well as some more traditional comfort food staples. At the start of the fall semester, the campus dining program is also launching mobile ordering and working to keep dining options f...

Viral "Joe" Patel immigrated to the United States at the age of 10 along with his immediate family. By his teenage years, he was working in his grandfather's convenience store. Now, he and his brother — along with other family members — operate a small chain begun with the purchase and renovation of one store, growing with the new build of another and acquisitions of a handful more. This family-ow...

CStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Jeremie Myhren, chief information officer for Rockford, Ill.-based Road Ranger convenience stores, and the chairman of the Young Executives Organization (YEO) about blockchain. Blockchain was invented in 2008 in response to the financial crisis. But what exactly is it, how does it work and what do convenience store retailers need to kno...

CStore Decisions speaks with North Carolina-based Cruizers Director of Foodservice Chris Postlewaite, who joined the 26-store chain in May. Postlewaite shares his plans for improving upon and expanding Cruizers' foodservice program, with a focus on pizza and fried chicken.

CStore Decisions magazine is recognizing Charge Up convenience stores as a Chain to Watch in the year ahead. CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with young executive entrepreneur Irfan Tejani, the president and CEO of Tejani Holdings Inc., the parent company of Charge Up, about his path in growing Charge Up from one to 40 locations in just 10 years, as well his growth plans for...

As the Hemp-CBD marketplace evolves amidst an inconsistent regulatory framework, brick-and-mortar retailers are faced with questions about product quality, choosing reputable suppliers and complying with federal, state and local guidelines. Selling CBD host and CStore Decisions Senior Editor Thomas Mulloy welcomes Daniel McGee, chief legal officer with Solari Hemp, and Chris Howard, vice president...

CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Steve Gu, CEO and co-founder of AiFi, to learn more about NanoStore and the future of autonomous checkout.

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock talks with Suzy Silliman, the Senior Vice President, Data Strategy and Sales for National Retail Solutions (NRS) about the impact independent urban convenience stores are having on mainstream retail trends.

Michelle Arthur, loss prevention and tobacco buyer for Montana's Town Pump convenience store chain, joins C-Store Oracle and CStore Decisions Senior Editor Thomas Mulloy to discuss tobacco-free nicotine on demand products, merchandising and sales trends.

CStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Tanner Krause, president of Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go, which operates more than 400 convenience stores in 11 states. Following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the resulting outcry and protests across the country, a lot of businesses are asking questions, including “how do we become part of the change that is...

CStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Evan Shiue, vice president of finance and strategy for Standard Cognition. Standard Cognition was one of the first tech startups in the autonomous checkout space. It operates a 1,100-square-foot cashier-less convenience store called Standard Store in the heart of San Francisco. That store is open to customers and fully equipped with Sta...

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with Mary Brookshire, who worked on the frontlines at Weigel's convenience stores for 41 years. Mary retired on May 1 and shared some of her most memorable experiences from the past four decades.

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.-based, Refuel has grown from a five-store chain to a fleet of 84 convenience stores across three states in a little over one year. Mark Jordan, founder of Refuel, and Travis Smith, chief administrative officer and general counsel of Refuel, talk with CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte about its latest Double Quick acquisition and other initiatives.

CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc., about what convenience store retailers can do now to prepare to best position themselves to thrive when the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Greg Ehrlich, President of Beck Suppliers, talks with CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock about the company's FriendShip convenience store chain and the current state of convenience retailing.

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with John Rodriguez, the Chief Operating Officer for First Coast Energy/Daily's Convenience Stores about its donation of 2,000 care packages to those in need during the COVID-19 crises.

Shortly after the Humetrics/CStore Decisions annual HR Benchmarking Survey concluded, COVID-19 arrived creating a very different retail landscape. Mel Kleiman, founder of Humetrics, speaks with Erin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions, about the annual HR survey, tried-and-true human resources best practices and what c-store retailers can do from an HR standpoint to be successful despi...

Doug Galli, vice president and general manager for Reid Stores/ Crosby's, and the board chairman of the National Advisory Group (NAG) sat down with CStore Decisions to share how COVID-19 is challenging the c-store business and how his chain is responding.

CStore Decisions speaks with Frank White, founder of White Knight Marketing, about how convenience stores are approaching artificial intelligence and robotics, and what retailers need to consider before embarking on these new initiatives.

CStore Decisions recently spoke with Mike Fogarty, CEO of Denver-based Choice Market, about how Choice is standing out with better-for-you food, an omnichannel approach and new technology. The chain is introducing a new delivery platform, with plans to offer the entire store product base for delivery using its own fleet of electric vehicle drivers — ideas all chains can benefit from as they look t...

New England convenience store chain VERC Enterprises CEO Leo Vercollone talks about his company's robust commitment to entering the CBD-hemp marketplace through a partnership with Ceres Natural Remedies and his personal experience with CBD products.

Mari Smith, social media thought leader and premier Facebook marketing expert, shares social media best practices and trends convenience store retailers should consider for 2020.

Ramon Lo, publisher of Airport Experience News, shares his insights on how the airport industry is adapting to the new trends and technology disruption also impacting the convenience store industry.