MESA, Ariz. -- The staff of CSPedia, CSP Business Media's online encyclopedia of convenience store chains, gathers new insights and news and updates the listings for the nearly 500 retailers in its database on a daily basis. CSPedia delivers a monthly summary of these reports, often news not yet announced publicly, to its subscribers.
Here is a collection of some of the news and people updates from August 2014.
People on the Move
- Beacon & Bridge Market. Eric Eastman, former vice president of marketing and merchandising, and Lynn Hughes, former retail systems manager, are no longer with the Michigan company. Their positions have not yet been filled.
- Byrne Dairy. Paula Waffle is vice president of marketing and buyer contact for the New York chain. Ryan Crowley has left the company.
- Clark Brands LLC dba On the Go, Clark. Barb Nolan has been named operations/marketing director, replacing Steve Symonanis, who recently left the company. Alicia (Claudon) Hawkins is newly married and is the marketing coordinator for the Chicago-area company.
- Cubby's Convenience Stores. Delone "Don" Wilson is president; Bruce Friedlander is a district supervisor; former marketing director Bob Schulte is also a district supervisor at the Omaha, Neb.-based chain.
- Hobo Pantry Food Stores (Home Oil Co.). Dustin Shirley is COO, filling the position earlier this year when Dennis McKnight left the Alabama company. Dustin Shirley is son of company president Tim Shirley and grandson of founder Tom Shirley.
- Kocolene Marketing dba Smokers Host, Fast Max. Robert Myers, former chairman of the board, has retired.
- Kroger Convenience. Longtime executive Van Tarver officially retires Aug. 31, 2014.
- Kwik Chek Food Stores Inc. (McCraw Oil). Rodney Brent marks his first year in May as director of operations. He has been with the Texas company since 1997.
- Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Properties LLC (MAPP) dba The Washington Café. Cristina Horcasitas, marketing manager, is the new vendor contact.
- Mills Gas Mart, owned by Mills Fleet Farm. Ed Oliveira, formerly with VERC Enterprises, is now the buyer for Wisconsin-based Mills Gas Mart convenience stores.
- Murphy USA Inc. dba Murphy USA, Murphy Express. Scott Woodward has been named director of category management, with buying responsibilities for tobacco.
- Stewart's Shops. Chuck Marshall handles site selection and real estate for the New York chain. He replaces Tom Lewis, who has retired.
- SuperAmerica / Northern Tier Retail dba SuperAmerica, SuperMom's. David L. Lamp is president and CEO after the retirement of co-founder Hank Kuchta.
- The Hartley Co. dba Starfire. Tim Mulrooney is senior category manager for the Ohio company's Starfire stores, and Patrick Teague is the company's branded dealer rep.
- Tedeschi Food Shops. Greg Donoghue, former vice president of human resources, was promoted to senior vice president and COO. Melissa Lowell, former category manager for dispensed beverages, has left the company, and her position has not been filled.
- Tesoro Corp. dba 2Go, USA Gasoline, Shell, ARCO, Mobil, Exxon. Joe Brumfield is departing Tesoro to join CST Brands in late August. John Ramsey has retired from Tesoro and Steve Brommer has replaced him as vice president.
- The Pantry / Kangaroo Express dba Kangaroo Express, Petro Express, Presto Convenience, Li'l Champ. Ross Pillari, a former chairman and CEO of BP America Inc., has joined The Pantry's board, effective May 21, 2014.
- Wawa Inc. Jason Beecher, former culinary manager, has left Wawa and is a consultant in menu development and kitchen design for the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Western Convenience Stores. Kevin Giles has been named marketing director of the Colorado company. Heather Warren is district manager.
In the News
- C.N. Brown is expanding its energy options and has begun offering electricity and its loyalty program to customers in Maine. In addition to its 78 Big Apple Food Stores, the Maine company owns and operates 40 service stations without c-stores (35 of which are also locations for heating oil). The company also operates 25 state agency liquor stores within their c-stores in Maine.
- Ohio-based Cantrell Companies dba: 1st Stop, Red Barn is adding three new builds and remodeling three stores in 2014, and is also introducing frozen dispensed beverages in its 42 locations.
- Corrigan Oil Co. partnered with BP after it purchased Galen E. Wilson Petroleum Co. and Express Stop Stores in 2013, converting the 17 sites to BP fuel. The chain operates 29 stores out of Michigan, and has fuel-distribution contracts for additional locations.
- CST Brands of San Antonio is buying Lehigh Gas GP LLC, which has controlling interest in Lehigh's master limited partnership (MLP). Joe Topper remains president and CEO of Lehigh Gas Partners and will join CST's board of directors.
- Cumberland Gulf Group dba Cumberland Farms, Gulf Oil takes the top spot in the 2014 CSP/Service Intelligence Mystery Shop. The Massachusetts chain has 574 locations.
- First Coast Energy LLP dba Daily's added 14 new stores in south Florida, bringing the Florida chain's total locations to 196. All stores are being renovated to add Daily's private-branded foodservice called dash deli.
- California chain Flyers Energy LLC dba Flyers, Olympian has changed wholesalers to McLane (it formerly was with Core-Mark) for its 353 locations.
- Virginia's Greeneville Oil & Petroleum Inc. dba Quick Stop plans to introduce private label health-and-beauty-care products packaged for single use, such as a disposable diaper packaged with a baby wipe. The chain has 101 locations in Virginia and Tennessee.
- Holiday Stationstores has added Godfather's Pizza to its Watford City, N.D., location. The chain also is adding the inOvationTV media platform at select sites in Minnesota and Wisconsin, which is a new territory for vendors, Wayne and Gas Station TV (GSTV). The chain has 341 corporate stores and 152 franchises, with more franchises to come in 2014.
- Quik Mart Inc. wants to expand foodservice where space allows, but a hot case it tested for ready-to-eat hot sandwiches wasn't successful. The chain operates 26 stores in Southern Arizona.
- Rite Way Oil Co. dba Speedee Mart, Big Red Mini Market, Why More Express changed to AMCON as its wholesale supplier for its 72 locations. The Nebraska chain formerly used McLane.
- Sheetz Inc. will open the first grocery store concept at a student apartment and retail complex under construction at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. The Pennsylvania company with nearly 500 stores may expand the concept to other college towns. The housing community and market are set to open in fall 2014.
- Tedeschi Food Shops has launched an aggressive program in produce and flowers, both focusing on freshness. The Massachusetts chain has 190 locations.
- Arizona-based Woody's Enterprises Ltd. dba Woody's Food Store is adding point-of-sale (POS) scanning to its 26 stores in fall of 2014.
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