A cry in the wilderness: Tocci’s Checkout, a convenience store in Glenburn Center, Maine, is holding a Bigfoot calling contest on Aug. 30, sponsored by Arbor Distillery, the maker of Sasquatch Sawmill Silver Rum, the independent convenience-store retailer said in a Facebook post. The best call will win $100. Will they be taking bets on whether it works? —Greg Lindenberg
C-stores as loneliness fighters?: In the South Korean capital of Seoul, there are four unusual convenience stores with an important mission. They’re helping fight an epidemic of loneliness in the city. As reported by the BBC, the “warm-hearted convenience stores” have had 20,000 visitors since March, about four times the expected number. Folks gather in the stores to watch movies, eat ramen and engage in “low-level bonding,” according to the manager of the city’s Loneliness Countermeasure Division. The city opted to house the operations in c-stores, rather than, say, mental health clinics, to combat the stigma many have against seeking help. —Heather Lalley
The cult of Aldi: Aldi is rapidly expanding its U.S. footprint. This year, it plans to open 200 stores across the country, more than any other grocer, and expects to have around 2,600 locations by the end of the year, making it the third-largest supermarket chain by number of stores. Looking ahead, Aldi expects to have more than 3,200 stores in the United States by the end of 2028. And customers are eating it up. Trips to Aldi stores were up by 7% compared to just 1.8% for grocery stores overall in the first half of the year. How is it doing this? By delivering on two trends: discount prices and healthy products. And it’s also delivering on something else. A smart, likeable brand that just continues to grow with no slowing in sight. —Chloe Riley
A winning mug: Petunia, a 2-year-old hairless French Bulldog–English Bulldog mix from Eugene, Oregon, is the winner of the 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog contest, hosted by the Sonoma-Marin Agricultural Association. For the second year, Mug Root Beer sponsored the contest, helping raise the stakes with a total prize pool of $10,000 ($5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third place). Petunia will become the temporary face of Mug Root Beer and have her own limited-edition Mug merchandise line. This year’s competition featured 10 canine contestants. Petunia, rescued from a backyard breeder/hoarder situation in Las Vegas by Luvable Dog Rescue, is a gentle soul who adores other dogs, cats and people. Petunia is pictured with owner Shannon Nyman. —Chuck Ulie
Bring on the tacos: Applegreen is bringing something new to Ireland–the country’s very first Taco Bell restaurant. The Irish convenience retailer announced on its LinkedIn page Tuesday that it will be opening Ireland’s first Taco Bell in its new Dunshaughlin site, which opens in September. This is the first of several Applegreen sites planned to house the Mexican-inspired restaurant over the next five years, Applegreen said. Bring on the tacos, Crunchwraps, refrescas and more. —Hannah Hammond
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