40 YEARS OF CONVENIENCE RETAILING: 1979-1983

1979

The Numbers:
Total industry sales, excluding gasoline, neared $11 billion, according to the CSNews Industry Report. Weekly sales per store were more than $6,000.

Store Operations:
To eliminate cigarette theft, 6-12 Dairy Markets of Dover, Del., removed its counter displays, took the carton rack off the floor and put cartons behind the counter.

Government & Regulatory:
The battle over blue laws in Connecticut and Vermont reached the Supreme Courts in those states. In Texas, retailers launched a campaign to repeal the state's blue law.

The New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS) held its first meeting, stating the need to pass legislation permitting food retailers to sell wine.

1980

Retailer Expansion:
Huck's Convenience Stores, the 70-store, Carmi, Ill.-based chain, announced plans to operate 100 units by the end of 1982.

Retail Tech:
Maverik had to conduct an ad campaign to explain "half-pricing" to the public because gas pumps then were not designed to compute gas that cost more than $1 per gallon. Customers were asked to pay twice the amount shown on the pumps.

1981

Retailer Expansion:
Doubling its size in three years, Allsup's of Clovis, N.M., celebrated the opening of its 200th store.

Mergers & Acquisitions:
The Pantry purchased 119-store Kwik Pik Markets of Madisonville, Ky.

People in the News
Kerley LeBoeuf, senior vice president at Little General Stores, was elected president of the National Association of Convenience Stores.

1982

Retailer Expansion:
The Sheetz family marked their first 30 years in the c-store business with a bold expansion plan that would bring the 75-unit chain to 192 units by 1986.

Mergers & Acquisitions:
National Convenience Stores acquired 116 stores from McCombs International for approximately $14.5 million.

1983

Mergers & Acquisitions:
Dairy Mart Convenience Stores of Enfield, Conn., acquired 34-store Dutchland Farms, East Providence, R.I.

National Convenience Stores purchased Colonial Food Stores of San Angelo, Texas, giving NCS a total of 1,025 units.

Retailer Innovation:
Sheetz rolled out a compact store design called Prototype 1 that would become the model for 85 percent of its new stores. The stores were smaller (1,970 square feet) and featured microwaves, hand-dipped ice cream, a video-game room and nine-stool eating area.
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