A Lexington, Kentucky, convenience store is leveraging its deep thoroughbred racing connections to create a unique retail destination during the Kentucky Derby season and beyond.
Debbie Morris already boasts a competitive retail advantage of customer service at Silver Streak Market, her Lexington, Kentucky-based c-store, helping her fend off threats from big players like Thorntons and Speedway nearby.
But every April, Morris, who has co-owned Silver Streak since 2020 with husband Joe Morris (a former horse trainer), gains one additional upper hand: The ability to capitalize on the enthusiasm for horse racing at nearby Keeneland and at the Kentucky Derby, held the first Saturday in May about an hour away in Louisville.
To make it a more compelling advantage, the two are deeply connected to the thoroughbred horse industry. Joe Morris spent years as a horse trainer—and this connection is reflected in what’s available inside Silver Streak: a host of horse racing memorabilia and general merchandise items at ultra-competitive prices.
“I sell a lot of T-shirts and sweatshirts from past Kentucky Derbys and Breeders Cups and have a great price on them: $5 for tees and $10 for sweatshirts. They have horse logos and winners of races,” Morris said.
Perhaps the most traffic-driving conversation piece is a glass-encased display of the garland of roses adorned by American Pharaoh, the 2015 Triple Crown winner.
“People come to see the display year-round but it’s particularly meaningful during the spring when the racing season is at its peak,” she said, adding that total store receipts climb about 25% when folks arrive in Kentucky for not only the Derby but for other races held at Keeneland in April.
“No other store in this region has the horse history that we have,” Morris said. “We offer a great vibe that honors thoroughbred horse history.”
Horse racing enthusiasts also visit Silver Streak Market for one essential item: official Kentucky Derby programs—only sold at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Once again, connections serve Morris well.
“Churchill Downs (racetrack) makes me pay for them, and what we don’t sell, we ‘eat.’ Because we try not to carry unsold programs, we tend to be conservative and order only 150 for Saturday’s main races and 50 for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday,” adding that programs run $6.
Morris leverages the horse racing advantage to the maximum, but there’s also another retail approach that allows the store to stand apart even without that equine advantage. Silver Streak “acts” like a general store as much as a convenience retailer.
“Joe and I definitely put an emphasis on being a purely local operation, and being a good neighbor,” she said. “Firstly, we keep all prices competitively low. But it’s also about the ‘unlikely’ c-store items we always have, including towels, shampoos, syrups, jams, arts and crafts and others. I pride myself on the fact that you never know what I’ll have so just ask me. You might be surprised. It’s a country store type attitude that we offer for sure.”
On the future, Morris said: “Joe and I always keep our minds open to other things. We plan to continue running this business for the foreseeable future. We are insistent on not expanding the store footprint because we want it to maintain its charm. I want to make money, but I mainly want to leave a mark: the bigger you get, you lose that.”
Silver Streak Market Facts:
* Morris converted a horse trailer to a quasi-food truck, positioned outside the 1,200-square-foot store, even though they also operate a restaurant inside Silver Streak. These days, the trailer is used entirely for Morris’ sister-in-law’s from-scratch bakery.
* At the restaurant, which opens at 10 a.m., each day of the week spotlights a different type of cuisine. Silver Streak restaurant offers destination-driven fare prepared by Chef Selvin. A native of Honduras who migrated to New York where he worked developing Italian cuisine recipes, Selvin grows fresh herbs, tomatoes, jalapenos, watermelons and cucumbers in an adjacent garden to be used for recipes.
* The store sells unbranded fuel and has a supply arrangement with Clark Oil, which also supplies other competitors. The store has a single multi-pump dispenser sold from a legacy MPD that only accepts cash, while customers can only pay for gas inside.
* The unit’s primary wholesale distributor is Sam’s Club, where Morris buys most inventory at optimal prices. They also have relationships through national suppliers such as McKee Foods/Little Debbie, Frito-Lay and others.
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