"We have chosen to focus on food items like our award-winning [image-nocss] milk, ice cream and coffee, so we are more than a convenience store that is primarily selling cigarettes, beer and gasoline, which have seen declining sales," he added.
"It is a pleasure to look our partners in the eye and tell them there are no layoffs, and we are continuing to expand," said Dake, "especially since they own a third of the company."
The comments follow closely on the heels of an announcement by Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. on the elimination of 200 non-store and non-field operations jobs in the United States and Canada (click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage) and of an announcement by Houston-based CITGO Petroleum Corp. that it is restructuring, necessitating the loss of about 2% of its workforce of approximately 3,800 people (click here for coverage).
Stewart's Shops expects to build several locations in the coming year and will renovate and rebuild even more existing stores, the company said.
The retailer's Fort Edward, N.Y. is now open for business, located directly behind the former Stewart's Shop. A grand-opening celebration took place January 9.
Dake also expressed appreciation to the chain's customers, who he said contributed more than $560,000 to its annual Holiday Match program, allowing more than $1.1 million to be distributed to local children's charities, many of which are facing increasing financial challenges.
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Stewart's operates approximately 325 Stewart's Shops c-stores in eastern New York and western Vermont.
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