A 24-hour 7-Eleven store is now open for business in the Mile Square on Washington Street. The store, located on the southwest corner of Fifth and Washington streets, opened its doors in mid-December72 years after 7-Eleven was founded [image-nocss] in Dallas by an employee of the Southland Ice Co.
So, why'd it take so long for Hoboken to get a 7-Eleven? Mainly, it seems, because until recently no one had come up with the idea to open a store here. This year, local businessman Nasser Nasser decided Hoboken was ready for a 7-Eleven. And 7-Eleven agreed, according to the report.
Plus, the company recently launched a sweeping plan to increase its presence in northern New Jersey, a spokeswoman told newspaper. "We announced earlier this year that we're expanding like we never have before in existing markets, and northern New Jersey is a key market for us," Margaret Chabris said.
At the end of May, shortly after 7-Eleven made its announcement, Nasser took out a lease on the former Boston Market space and contacted 7-Eleven about opening a franchise there.
7-Eleven placed Nasser into its Business Conversion Program, which, Chabris said, is the reverse of the usual procedure. Typically, the 7-Eleven BCP seeks out owners of mom-and-pop bodegas hoping to persuade them to turn their stores into 7-Elevens. As an incentive to convert, 7-Eleven will pay up to $250,000 in construction and remodeling costs for an existing store to be transformed into a 7-Eleven, and Nasser was privy to that and other BCP benefits as any franchisee converting a business would be.
The BCP was not a new experience for Nasser, a franchisee for a decade whose Lodi-based Nasser Group Inc. owns a dozen 7-Eleven stores and several gas stations in New Jersey.
Nasser, 39, from North Haledon, N.J., said he's always had a soft spot for Hoboken.
"I used to hang out in Hoboken back in the day," he told the newspaper. "I still have friends here."
He said 50 to 60 people walk by his storefront every 5 minutes during peak hours on weekdays, and on weekends during peak hours, that count reaches 75 to 80 people every 5 minutes.
Nasser knows this because he and a team assembled by 7-Eleven performed a site analysis of the location. Based on their observations, Nasser says his 7-Eleven store couldn't be better located in Hoboken.
Nasser plans to hire eight or nine regular employees as the 7-Eleven continues its soft opening. Right now, he has employees from some of his other stores holding down the fort, and they will train the new hires that will eventually come on board. Sometime this spring, perhaps in April when the weather is nicer, Nasser is planning to throw a huge grand opening.
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