Mac's Convenience Stores Celebrates 50 Years of Business

ONTARIO, Canada -- Mac's Convenience Stores, a subsidiary of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., kicked off the unofficial start of summer by celebrating its 50th anniversary in Southern Ontario.

The first Mac's store -- operating as Mac's Milk -- opened in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and the business counted 375 convenience stores 11 years later when Silverwoods purchased the chain. Mac's Milk Ltd. was changed in 1975 to Mac's Convenience Stores Ltd. and another 43 stores were opened. Expansion into British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in 1983 brought the total number of stores up to 700, according to Mac's Convenience Stores website.

Three years later, Mac's acquired Mike's Mart Convenience Stores in Northern Ontario and grew its portfolio to 825 locations. Corporate restructuring in 1992 created a new focus on smaller and more profitable retail stores. After acquiring Becker's Convenience Stores in Ontario and selling its U.S. Stores, Mac's marked its 35th anniversary with 1,004 stores.

In 1999, Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired Mac's and became the largest national convenience store network in Canada. From 2001 to 2004, Couche-Tard branched out into the U.S. market with the acquisition of Johnson Oil Co. assets, Dairy Milk stores and Circle K stores, the website explained.

To mark the milestone, the Mac's Van tour Ontario through June 4, bringing specials and surprises to Mac's locations. In addition, every day this summer one customer per store will win a $50 Mac's gift card.

The convenience store retailer also hopes to raise $50,000 for charity. To that end, the company will donate part of its proceeds from its Froster's sales to several charities, including True Patriot Love Foundation, Children's Wish Foundation, Sick Kids Foundation, Wellspring Cancer Support Network, Coast to Coast against Cancer Foundation and McMaster Children's Hospital.

"In order to thank local communities for allowing us to serve them for so long, Mac's Convenience Stores reiterates its commitment to those organizations that help set our communities apart," the company stated in a release.