At Your Convenience

Fridays—also known now as Pizza Day—have become the busiest day of the week at Lakeport Market since the independent convenience store began providing free lunches in mid-March for COVID-19 relief.

On this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP editor Hannah Prokop talks with Nicole Roth about Lakeport Market’s COVID-19 relief initiatives and what the c-store means to its Chittenango, N.Y. community.

Convenience-store customers have generally had a positive experience during the coronavirus pandemic, but there’s still plenty of work to be done regarding safety and cleanliness, according to a new Intouch Insight’s benchmark mystery-shop program.

CSP editor Brett Dworski is joined by Cameron Watt, CEO of Intouch Insights, who breaks down this new mystery shop study and explains what c-store operators can take away from it.

Since acquiring Allsup’s convenience stores in November 2019, Yesway has jumped more than 20 spots in CSP’s annual Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by number of retail outlets. On this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP editor Brett Dworski chats with Tom Trkla, CEO of Yesway, on how the company has reached this growth and the strategies behind its acquisitions and store-development.

On this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP editors Brett Dworski and Jackson Lewis break down the technology that will transform the fueling experience by 2030. This podcast was recorded as part of CSP’s fourth annual Forecourt of the Future series. Listen as Brett and Jackson discuss how the customer experience at the pump will change in the next decade, the importance of personalization at the pump, how technology will affect fuel pricing in the next 10 years, and much more.

On this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP dives into the makings of the facility and how VERC completed this plan, which was first revealed at a CSP conference in November 2019. Listen as CSP editor Brett Dworski chats with Tyla Vercollone, CBD category manager for VERC, on the challenges of opening the facility, requirements for customers and employees, educational opportunities offered at the center and more.

On this episode of "At Your Convenience," CSP Managing Editor Samantha Oller chats with Charlie McIlvaine, CEO of Coen Markets and a member of the NACS research and technology committee, on the highlights of 2019's NACS State of the Industry statistics as well as how McIlvaine sees COVID-19 reshaping the outlook for the c-store industry. Listen as Samantha and Charlie cover how operators can balance foodservice evolution with high fuel margins, how Coen Markets has responded to the pandemic, c-store labor headaches and much more.

On this episode of "At Your Convenience," CSP editors Angel Abcede and Brett Dworski discuss how the tobacco category is faring during the coronavirus pandemic. Listen as Abcede—CSP’s tobacco expert—provides a rundown of how tobacco sales shifted before and after nationwide lockdowns, the latest updates on Altria’s facility shutdowns, how retailers can prepare for PMTA deadlines and more.

This special edition of "At Your Convenience" features CSP editors Hannah Prokop, Jackson Lewis and Brett Dworski as they discuss how convenience-store retailers can gain more traction during breakfast. This episode was recorded as a complement to CSP magazine’s new four-part series Conquering the Dayparts, in which the editors explore how to boost breakfast, lunch, snacking and dinner in c-stores.

This edition of "At Your Convenience" features Eric Slifka and Mark Cosenza, CEO and senior vice president of retail, respectively, of Global Partners LP, as they discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has altered their operations as well as the long-term consumer perceptions of the c-store industry. Listen as Slifka, Cosenza and CSP Editor Brett Dworski discuss how the c-store industry has responded to the pandemic overall, how Global Partners is prepping for the future, the potential positives c-stores may encounter from this experience and much more.

On this episode of "At Your Convenience," CSP Editor Hannah Prokop chats with Jackie Stalsberg of Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wis., this year’s Category Manager of the Year for the center-store category. Stalsberg won the award at CSP’s Convenience Retailing University event in February. Listen as Hannah and Jackie discuss how Jackie separates herself from other center-store category managers, as well as what her processes and outlooks are for the future of the category.