#CRU14 Blog: A Visit to the Corner Store

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EL MIRAGE, Ariz. -- The convenience store tours are always very popular at CSP events, and as part of Convenience Retailing University 2014, our visit this week to a Corner Store site in El Mirage, Ariz., had our attendees talking.

“I lover the openness, the bright, colorful signage, the LED lighting,” I heard from one retailer from Michigan.

“It’s obvious that they’re in foodservice as soon as you walk through the door,” said another from Wisconsin.

A CST Brands manager told me the location we visited, located far from any Phoenix Valley urban centers, is No. 2 in all of Arizona for foodservice sales. Primary menu items include roller-grill favorites, but also burritos, hot sandwiches and kolaches, which are like pigs in a blanket. Click here to read CSP Magazine’s recent cover story about CST Brands’ new beginning.

At 5,500 square feet, there was a lot to see in this store, including a spacious beer cave, huge fountain wall and foodservice variety. Enjoy the slide show below, and I welcome any comments of questions about the store.

This 2-year-old store in El Mirage, Ariz., set the stage for The Corner Store's future as CS Brand went through the process of spinning off from Valero Energy.

Inside, customers are greeted from clerks working a large checkout counter facing the entrance.

There's no lack of color in the store. Each colorful section defines a category in the store, such as red for fresh foodservice, yellow for fountain and green for packaged foods and dairy.

Wide aisles leave plenty of room for customers to browse before grabbing their purchase.

The bright atmosphere keeps the customer's eye moving through the store.

The large, bright beer cave is easy to see into (and out of), making it inviting and easy to tell that customers are welcome to go inside.

Bright, LED lighting keeps the store well-lit on the sales floor and in food and beverage coolers.

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