BELGRADE, Mo. — Diligent, loyal employees mean the world to Brad Juliette, who owns and operates Roy’s Convenience Stores in southeastern Missouri.
Juliette, owner of Belgrade, Mo.-based Juliette Property and Investment Inc., backed up that sentiment in late 2021 when he sold seven of the chain’s nine stores to Royalz Group, an independent retailer with four stores in the same area, located about 90 minutes south of St. Louis.
Over the years, Juliette said, he has been approached by a handful of suitors interested in acquiring various Roy’s stores, but one uncompromising stipulation was often a conversation ender: He wanted any new owner to retain all employees at the acquired stores. Most potential buyers won’t provide that assurance, he said.
“Royalz was the fourth party that tried to buy our stores over the years, and I finally relented,” Juliette told CSP. “The key was finding someone who would promise to keep our existing employees on board. That was essential. I wanted to avoid any upheaval with staff layoffs, which would have been devastating to these folks.”
A former grocery retailer, Juliette has quickly bounced from the c-store divestiture to acquire five Save A Lot grocery stores in the area, one deal done in July and the others due to close this spring.
“This feels like a retail opportunity that’s recession proof; plus, I ran grocery stores for 15 years before c-stores,” said Juliette, who also plans to open a new Roy’s unit in Park Hills, Mo., by spring, giving him three c-stores. The two Roy’s stores he’s retaining are located in Belgrade and Caledonia, Mo.
“I’ve added several c-store profit centers, such as lottery and ATMs, to Save A Lot and put in fresh deli meat cases, which they didn’t have. It’s a hybrid approach to retailing between the two brands,” he said. “At most all our stores, the competitive advantage is we’re the only show in town.”
Read ahead for insights into a retailer who has bought, sold and built across retail channels—with employees serving as the catalyst to drive results.
Q: You have had a great track record with turning a profit at your stores. What’s the secret?
A:Our goals are simple: Offer good prices and keep stores clean. We stay fully stocked and are competitive on liquor and tobacco. I have some of the best beer prices around, and run weekly ads. Over the past few years, I spent a half-million dollars to upgrade fuel pumps, and our fuel prices are so competitive that customers go out of their way to purchase gas here. Our top four stores do anywhere from $8,000 to $9,000 a week in foodservice sales thanks to quality offerings from Hunt Brother pizza to proprietary chicken. In 2008, when we opened our first store, we generated $2 million in sales; by the end of 2021, we amassed $30 million.
Q: What are some other techniques that drive success at Roy’s?
A: A while back we were advised to think outside the box more. We didn’t want to do the same things over and over. All this translates to success. We typically increase new-store sales by 100% after the first year in business by thinking outside the box. One thing we make a point to do is perform ambitious store remodeling, including modern shelving and flooring.
Q: What drives your dedication to employees?
A: When I first started out, I did all the paperwork myself, unloaded trucks, placed orders and micromanaged every detail. In the early days, I found myself in the trenches with these folks a lot and understand what they do for us. That’s why I overpay them to retain them. It’s worth it.
Q: Who drives success at both Roy’s and your Save A Lot stores?
A: First off, we have about 160 employees. My wife, Kelly, performs many of the day-to-day functions. Michele Beers was brought in to run our foodservice operation. She formerly owned her own restaurant. Randi Pierce oversees retail account balances and takes care of scheduling and orders. Connie Sadler, our longest-standing employee, opens the Caledonia store every day at 4 a.m., while Mike Wilson does all our price changes.
Q: Did you suffer supply-chain issues during the pandemic, and where does that stand today?
A: We have had problems procuring Roy’s-branded [coffee and fountain] cups, as our cup supplier stopped making branded cups of any kind. Our chief wholesale distributor, Winkler [Wholesale Grocers], has been an amazing game-changer for us. They were able to procure 26 cases of saltine crackers for us, and we sell a lot of chili. We are able to buy very competitively from them on items like lip balm, coffee and chili, and run weekly cyber ads to generate interest … and sales. Last year we had a record year—up 25% in sales. We are the only show in town in many of our Missouri markets. Folks have been reluctant to go to St. Louis to shop.
Q: How do you generate interest in the chain using the Internet and social media?
A: We have 14,000 Facebook followers, which really helps us get people in the door. Facebook and Instagram are big platforms to draw in consumers. One traditional advantage is that we’re opened on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas and see a lot of foot traffic for folks needing emergency cooking items.
Q: What is your company mission statement—formal or informal?
A: We pride ourselves on being fast and friendly. You never wait in line. I really appreciate and demand that level of service.
Q: What is your game plan over the next few years?
A: I’m going to assist [Royalz with the Roy’s operations] until I’m 50. [Juliette is 47]. My daughter is also in the picture to potentially operate stores down the line.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.