The company began franchising its previously company-owned stores in late 2007 in the Miami area and franchising other parts of Florida [image-nocss] the following May. (Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage.)
7-Eleven said in May 2008 that it plans to convert approximately 475 additional company-operated convenience stores in Central Florida into franchised operations. The change affects 7-Eleven stores in the greater Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Daytona and Fort Myers metropolitan areas. Previously, 7-Eleven had announced stores available for franchise in the Miami and Daytona Beach areas. (Click here for previous coverage.)
The Dallas-based convenience store chain had two existing Central Florida independent c-store owners sign deals in January and February to convert their stores into 7-Elevens, as part of its Business Conversion Program (BCP), said the report. Orange County records show one store is a Gas Way fuel and c-store, which is slated for an April opening; the other is a Hess Express fuel and c-store, which is expected to open in June.
Additionally, 7-Eleven opened a newly franchised locationthe company's first "green" store (click here for previous coverage)in DeLand last month and expects to debut three more in the next several months:
A former independent store in Orlando is scheduled to open as a 7-Eleven next month. A new franchised location is set to open in Orlando in June. Another former independent store in Winter Springs is expected to open in November. For new stores, the chain requires about $250,000 to $280,000 per store for equipment and inventory, and the operator/franchisee is required to invest an average of about $30,000 to $60,000 in fees along with putting additional money into construction or improvement, if needed, Dan Porter, vice president of real estate for the chain, told the newspaper.
Bobby Palta and Michael Battey of real estate brokerage firm CB Richard Ellis in Orlando are the exclusive agents for 7-Eleven development in Central Florida. The chain has about 157 existing stores in the Orlando metropolitan statistical area and a total of 228 when including Volusia and Brevard counties, said the report.
7 Eleven, Dallas, operates, franchises or licenses more than 8,100 7-Eleven stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses close to 37,500 stores in 16 countries. During 2008, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $53.7 billion.
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