MESA, Ariz. -- The staff of CSPedia, Winsight's online encyclopedia of convenience-store chains, gathers news and insights 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 July.
People on the Move
- 7-Eleven Inc. Larry Bullis has rejoined 7-Eleven Inc., where he started his career in the convenience-store industry. Bullis most recently was with Produce Source Partners and before that was director of marketing for the Wills Group's Dash In Food Stores in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.
- Circle K Great Lakes. The Great Lakes business unit of Circle K has made several changes in category managers since late last year, including Jason Sklarek, packaged beverages; Kurt Fraschetti, candy and sweet snacks; Clint Blunier, car wash and GM; Tad Menoes, grocery and HBC; and Jack Wiolland, alcohol. Elizabeth Smith has joined the division as HR director, coming from Dave's Supermarkets in Cleveland. The Great Lakes region is based in Akron, Ohio, and operates more than 450 company sites.
- Dash In. Tim Grossi has taken a position with Produce Source Partners as director of convenience sales and is no longer with the Wills Group's Dash In stores.
- Global Partners LP. Denys Milan is serving as director of category management and merchandising for the stores operated by Global Partners LLC, which encompasses the Alliance Energy and XtraMart stores in the Northeast. More leadership changes and shifts in category management duties are anticipated this summer as the merger settles. Global Partners owns and operates about 300 sites.
- Lambo's/Lanman Oil. Mike Gewirtz has joined the company as operations manager. He previously worked for Tri Star Marketing in Champaign, Ill. Lambo's operates four stores and distributes fuel to another two dozen dealers.
- Pilot Flying J. Tom Terlecky is no longer with the travel centers. He joined Wal-Mart to work on the small-store concept for the Bentonville, Ark., chain.
- Shipley Energy. Dave Gruno has been named CEO effective July 1 for the fuel company that also operates about half a dozen Tom's stores in Pennsylvania.
- Victron Energy. President Walid Alameddine has been leading the Texas company that owns and leases several brands, including the Texas Best Smokehouse stores, after the death of founder Ari Sharaf.
In the News
- Buc-ee's has opened a new 60,000-square-foot store in Fort Worth, Texas, bringing its total store count to 32. The Texas chain draws motorists with its extensive range of foods and beverages, massive bathrooms and dozens of fueling stations.
- BW Gas & Convenience Holdings has acquired 21 sites in Iowa from Kum & Go and announced a new c-store brand, Yesway. The Kum & Go stores, as well as the original 10 Country Store sites also in Iowa that BW purchased, will be renovated with the new name and image.
- CrossAmerica Partners is acquiring certain assets of State Oil of Libertyville, Ill., giving CrossAmerica a step into the greater Chicago market for expanding its fuel distribution. State Oil owns more than 50 gas stations and supplies more than 90 stations. It operates many of the stations itself, leasing out the remainder to independent operators.
- Chevron's company-operated ExtraMile stores are testing a concept called Snack Bar at six California sites. The California-based chain operates more than 300 stores and franchises another 500 to other operators.
- Family Express stores are giving away fresh fruit to children ages 12 and younger. The Indiana-based chain of about 60 stores launched "Free Fruit for Kids" to help provide healthier food alternatives to children in its market.
- Skeptics have raised questions about the reality of The Guess Corp., which distributed press releases announcing it wants to acquire at least 1,000 c-stores over the next year that it intends to rebrand and renovate. The company claims to be privately-held and based in Durham, N.C. Its website says it is a "luxury-goods holding company" with a focus on diamonds, private jets, yachts, automobiles, fine art, private islands, casinos and more. Guess Corp. issued more than a dozen press releases in July relating to ventures in many industries.
- Honey Farms has two new stores under construction, with one set to open in early August and another in the fall. Both will have a Nathan's Famous (hot dogs) foodservice concept. The Massachusetts chain owns and operates 36 sites.
- R.L. Jordan has engaged MR Williams as the wholesale supplier for its Hot Spot stores. The company operates 43 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina.
- The new corporate headquarters for Phillips 66 Co. has opened in Houston, about four years after the company purchased the property. The 1.1-million-square-foot campus is located at 2331 CityWest Blvd. in Houston. All 2,200 Houston employees have moved to the new headquarters. The 14-acre campus is anchored by 13- and 15-story office towers connected via a 3,000-square-foot walking bridge and an eight-floor parking garage.
- QuikTrip has enhanced its loyalty program and private-label credit card. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based chain is offering redeemable prepaid cards in $10 increments as customers earn cents off per gallon and points on store purchases.
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