Candice Clark, CFO of Clipper Petroleum, talks with Erin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions about her experiences as a women in the convenience store industry, and the importance of creating environments that welcome a more diverse workforce.

CStore Talks With Candice Clark

John Lofstock, editor of CStore Decisions and executive director of the National Advisory Group (NAG), speaks with Horacio Gavilán, of the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC); and Suzy Silliman, of National Retail Solutions (NRS), about the growing impact Hispanic shoppers are having on the convenience store market.

The Impact of Hispanic Shoppers on Convenience Retail

CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte and Seth Bridges, founder and head of product for Rival IQ, discuss the 2022 Social Media Awards. Bridges explains the methodology behind the awards and what the winners are doing well. He also shares best practices on social media for retailers for the year ahead.

2022 Social Media Awards Podcast

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with Elie Katz, President and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS) about the trends he is seeing in the retail marketplace. With vast retail industry knowledge gained from having owned over a dozen retail establishments, Elie has refined insight into the mindset and needs of the retail business owner. Elie coordinated the creation of the NRSPoint of Sale (POS) system and NRS PAY merchant services, combined with a loyalty and rewards network for IDT’s 5 million+ customers.

Tracking Customer Trends With Elie Katz

CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte and Seth Bridges, founder of Rival IQ, discuss the 2023 Social Media Awards. For the third year in a row, Kwik Trip claimed the top spot as the overall winner across platforms. Listen for more on which chains took first and second place on the various platforms. New this year, the social media awards include TikTok, in addition to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Bridges details what this year's winners did well, and the trends ahead for social media in 2023. Hint: C-store retailers should consider joining TikTok, if they're not already active on the popular platform.

Social Media Awards Podcast 2023

Convenience store chain Triumph Energy is elevating its execution for 2025, rolling out new programs and creating a cohesive experience for customers from its store design to its offerings. 

Triumph Energy Updates Sites, Tunes Operations and Sharpens Execution as it Works to Create a Cohesive Experience Across Stores

It’s been five years since Chestnut Petroleum Distributors began aligning its fleet of stores under the Chestnut Market banner. Now, with more visibility in its marketplace, Chestnut Market is mastering execution and consistency with help from its Retail Is Detail program while growing through remodels and new store builds. It’s also making bold strides with a stronger focus on food and the imminent launch of its new mobile app and loyalty program.

Today, the chain operates approximately 75 company-operated convenience stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and it’s also a major distributor for Exxon Mobil, Shell, bp, Gulf and Irving, supplying fuel to about 230 locations in the Tri-State area. Now, with the second generation of the family business taking on leadership roles, the chain has its sights set on continuing to expand its footprint in the Tri-State area. 


Chestnut Market Talks Retail Is Detail, Store Remodels, Foodservice, Loyalty And So Much More

Major Itule, CEO of Major Oil, discusses his plans to grow to more than 500 locations. His new concept includes autonomous Convenience Store Portable Above Ground Stations (CPAGs) that take days to build for a fraction of the cost of a traditional convenience store. With the first station opening later this year, he aspires to introduce five to 10 locations per month in 2026. Learn the ins and outs of the unique concept, how it's constructed, how the technology works, the offerings inside the store and the vision behind the new concept. 

Major Oil Plans 500-Store Growth

With the second-generation of the family active in management of the company, and fresh off a major acquisition that more than doubles its footprint while adding vertical integration opportunities, H&S Energy has its sights set on continued growth. Today, H&S Energy operates more than 260 stores in California, Oregon and Nevada. The company currently operates under the proprietary banners Power Market, as well as Pinnacle 365, and it’s also an Extra Mile franchisee. 

H&S Energy & Power Market

Steve Seymour and Stacy Kline from Country Fair discuss the chain’s new flagship store, — which is its biggest location and first city market concept — as well as Country Fair’s 60th anniversary year, how the chain is investing in its company culture and its earned wage access program for employees. From the company history to foodservice and technology initiatives to goals for the future, this podcast deep-dives into the Country Fair convenience store chain.  

Country Fair Celebrates 60 Years, Opens Flagship Store

Amanda Yaw, director of marketing for Green Valley Grocery talks about the chain's growth plans and areas of focus from foodservice and technology to new-to-industry stores. 

Green Valley Grocery

In this episode, we’re joined by Pervez Pir, president of retail for Loop Neighborhood Marketplace, who offers an inside look at the company’s Loop Neighborhood and Poppy Market banners. Based in California, the chain recently expanded with the acquisition of 11 stores from National Petroleum. From foodservice innovation and car wash services to cutting-edge technology, Pir shares what’s driving the brand forward today.

Loop Neighborhood & Poppy Market Podcast

CStore Decisions speaks with Hussein Yatim, VP, Yatco, and second generation of the family business about the chain's aggressive growth plans to scale from 13 to 19 company-operated stores in 2025 and then to 30. Yatim shares the story of how the family business began as well as how the chain is innovating in terms of foodservice, technology, remodels and more. 

YATCO PODCAST

Derek Gaskins, head of guest experience, bp convenience & mobility, discusses bp and its c-store banners Thorntons, ampm and TravelCenters of America and gives us the inside scoop on what’s happening at the brands from foodservice to technology to bp’s Epic Goods private label program to new-to-industry stores. 

Register for the Oct. 2 Young Executive Power Hour: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/_01QOWOTTcKmywc7fUqoCg

Retailer Registration for Oct. 15 Chain of the Year Event: https://cstoredecisions.com/2025-chain-of-the-year 

  


BP — Thorntons, ampm, TravelCenters of America — Podcast

Laura Derba, SVP of Retail Operations for Global Partners, discusses the company’s Honey Farms and Alltown Fresh banners, its new Bees Knees Benefits loyalty program and much more.

Global Partners Podcast

Erin Del Conte, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions speaks with Lindsay Griffith, marketing and community engagement manager for InConvenience Inc, the women-led team behind “The G Spot” (Good Spot and Gas Spot) convenience stores. InConvenience Inc is a relatively new company. The company was founded by CEO Tiffany Fraley. The journey began in 2023. At the time she had 25 stores, but when Mountain Express and SQRL Service Stations LLC went bankrupt, the stores were shuttered overnight. Fraley founded InConvenience Inc in February 2024. The company quickly reopened 15 Iowa stores and began remodels on the company’s Missouri and Arkansas stores. In September 2024, the chain’s first remodel was opened and now the chain is preparing to open its ninth remodel. Today, the chain owns 25 locations, with 20 now open and five more in the works, and many locations set for full remodels.

InConvenience Podcast

Aaron McLean, chief operating officer for Stuzo, shares information about the company's C-Store Future Vision Platform that predicts what c-stores of the future might look like. Nicola Buck, head of marketing at BP shares information on a lab test BP did featuring biometrics at the pump and other frictionless initiatives including BPme.

C-Store Technology Oracle: Biometrics and C-Stores of the Future

Ramon Lo, publisher of Airport Experience News, shares his insights on how the airport industry is adapting to the new trends and technology disruption also impacting the convenience store industry.

C-Store Technology Oracle: What C-Stores Can Learn From the Airport Environment

New England convenience store chain VERC Enterprises CEO Leo Vercollone talks about his company's robust commitment to entering the CBD-hemp marketplace through a partnership with Ceres Natural Remedies and his personal experience with CBD products.

Selling CBD: VERC Enterprises Moving Full Speed Ahead on CBD

Doug Galli, vice president and general manager for Reid Stores/ Crosby's, and the board chairman of the National Advisory Group (NAG) sat down with CStore Decisions to share how COVID-19 is challenging the c-store business and how his chain is responding.

COVID-19 Update Podcast: Crosby's Responds to COVID-19

Greg Ehrlich, President of Beck Suppliers, talks with CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock about the company's FriendShip convenience store chain and the current state of convenience retailing.

FriendshipPodcastFINAL

CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc., about what convenience store retailers can do now to prepare to best position themselves to thrive when the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

C-Store Oracle: Position Your C-Store Chain to Thrive When the Pandemic Ends

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.-based, Refuel has grown from a five-store chain to a fleet of 84 convenience stores across three states in a little over one year. Mark Jordan, founder of Refuel, and Travis Smith, chief administrative officer and general counsel of Refuel, talk with CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte about its latest Double Quick acquisition and other initiatives.

C-Store Oracle: Refuel Discusses Double Quick Acquisition

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with Mary Brookshire, who worked on the frontlines at Weigel's convenience stores for 41 years. Mary retired on May 1 and shared some of her most memorable experiences from the past four decades.

Weigels Podcast

CStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Evan Shiue, vice president of finance and strategy for Standard Cognition. Standard Cognition was one of the first tech startups in the autonomous checkout space. It operates a 1,100-square-foot cashier-less convenience store called Standard Store in the heart of San Francisco. That store is open to customers and fully equipped with Standard Cognition’s autonomous checkout solution. Evan is speaking about Standard Store, autonomous checkout technology and trends ahead for autonomous checkout in 2020.

Standard Store Talks Autonomous Checkout

CStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Tanner Krause, president of Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go, which operates more than 400 convenience stores in 11 states. 

Following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the resulting outcry and protests across the country, a lot of businesses are asking questions, including “how do we become part of the change that is needed — not just for this moment but long-term?” 

Krause shares how Kum & Go is working to be part of the change, especially by listening to the voices of people of color and educating themselves and their team, and how convenience stores can lead right now in their communities and to be part of the push for a more inclusive world.

Kum & Go Works to Be Part of the Change

Michelle Arthur, loss prevention and tobacco buyer for Montana's Town Pump convenience store chain, joins C-Store Oracle and CStore Decisions Senior Editor Thomas Mulloy to discuss tobacco-free nicotine on demand products, merchandising and sales trends.

C-Store Oracle: Nicotine On Demand

CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock talks with Suzy Silliman, the Senior Vice President, Data Strategy and Sales for National Retail Solutions (NRS) about the impact independent urban convenience stores are having on mainstream retail trends.

NRSPodcast

CStore Decisions' Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Steve Gu, CEO and co-founder of AiFi, to learn more about NanoStore and the future of autonomous checkout.

AiFi NanoStore

Joe Marelle, the CEO of Tobacco Superstores in Marion, Arkansas, sits down with CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock to talk about the state of tobacco and nicotine and what to expect over the next year.

Tobacco Update with Tobacco Superstores

Offering c-store retailers, suppliers and distributors news and product info to stay abreast of industry trends.

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