Brian Lutz wrote: ↑December 22nd, 2022, 7:42 pm
7-Eleven seems to have some weird aversion to corporate owned stores. Last year in Everett they took a former Mobil station on Everett Mall Way that had been sitting for quite a while,. built out a 7-eleven store inside, and then left it sitting idle for several months with "franchise this 7-Eleven" signs outside, which presumably meant that they wanted a 7-Eleven there, they just didn't want to actually operate a 7-Eleven there.
Also in Sandy UT there's a 7-Eleven location on State Street where all the lights and signs are on, but the windows are papered over and there's a sign on the door indicating that the location is closed until further notice as of some time in November. My guess is that they are looking for a new franchisee to run the store, and have just closed it in the meantime. I haven't been impressed with any of the 7-Elevens around here though, especially when there's usually much nicer and better stocked Maverik stores nearby.
As for the single cup grind coffee machines, I have started to see those at quite a few places. While I was out in the Carolinas this past weekend I saw a QuikTrip that appeared to have replaced all of their drip coffee pots with these machines. I know Maverik is using these as well.
Up here in Reno in the past they would take stores that were "between franchisees" over, run them as corporate stores, and try to get them franchised out. They have not had a corporate store in Reno for many years though. What would usually happen then was the reason the stores ever ended up "between franchisees" is they were poor performers and so those locations eventually just ended up closing. 7-Eleven also has a program where it will subsidize operators financially to take on certain lower performing stores, there are a number of those around Reno.
What I find odd with what you describe in Utah is they have a structure there to run corporate operated Speedway units. Why couldn't they just operate the 7-Eleven unit as a corporate unit and put the Speedway field management in charge of operating it? It would also be a logical way to get the Speedway field management used to the 7-Eleven format and programs.
I think 7-Eleven needs to split itself into two companies: 7-Eleven for franchise sites and Speedway for corporate sites. But that basically implies un-doing the whole Speedway merger. I have to assume part of why they bought Speedway was to gain more corporate operated stores. Yet their behavior years after the merger seems to imply that they still do not like corporate operated stores much.
Brian Lutz wrote: ↑December 22nd, 2022, 7:42 pm
7-Eleven seems to have some weird aversion to corporate owned stores. Last year in Everett they took a former Mobil station on Everett Mall Way that had been sitting for quite a while,. built out a 7-eleven store inside, and then left it sitting idle for several months with "franchise this 7-Eleven" signs outside, which presumably meant that they wanted a 7-Eleven there, they just didn't want to actually operate a 7-Eleven there.
Also in Sandy UT there's a 7-Eleven location on State Street where all the lights and signs are on, but the windows are papered over and there's a sign on the door indicating that the location is closed until further notice as of some time in November. My guess is that they are looking for a new franchisee to run the store, and have just closed it in the meantime. I haven't been impressed with any of the 7-Elevens around here though, especially when there's usually much nicer and better stocked Maverik stores nearby.
As for the single cup grind coffee machines, I have started to see those at quite a few places. While I was out in the Carolinas this past weekend I saw a QuikTrip that appeared to have replaced all of their drip coffee pots with these machines. I know Maverik is using these as well.
Up here in Reno in the past they would take stores that were "between franchisees" over, run them as corporate stores, and try to get them franchised out. They have not had a corporate store in Reno for many years though. What would usually happen then was the reason the stores ever ended up "between franchisees" is they were poor performers and so those locations eventually just ended up closing. 7-Eleven also has a program where it will subsidize operators financially to take on certain lower performing stores, there are a number of those around Reno.
What I find odd with what you describe in Utah is they have a structure there to run corporate operated Speedway units. Why couldn't they just operate the 7-Eleven unit as a corporate unit and put the Speedway field management in charge of operating it? It would also be a logical way to get the Speedway field management used to the 7-Eleven format and programs.
I think 7-Eleven needs to split itself into two companies: 7-Eleven for franchise sites and Speedway for corporate sites. But that basically implies un-doing the whole Speedway merger. I have to assume part of why they bought Speedway was to gain more corporate operated stores. Yet their behavior years after the merger seems to imply that they still do not like corporate operated stores much.
When they bought Sunoco's stores, they gained a bunch of very nice corporate owned stores (Stripes, et. al.) and an original food concept (Laredo Taco Company), and many new 7-Eleven sites in Texas have LTC. I haven't seen any "stalled" 7-Eleven stores, there does look like one in Caldwell, Texas that hasn't moved along in about a month (everything done but papered-over windows) but I haven't observed it that closely so I have no idea what really remains to be done. Certainly 7-Eleven hasn't done the Sears Hometown manuever of build lots of stores, operate them for six months, then pull the plug when they don't have buyers, and at least those stores actually opened.
But then again, I live in a different reality where 7-Eleven is actually a fairly modern convenience store that has single-grind machines and restaurant co-tenants and large footprints.
7-Eleven built a new store in Reno recently and it took them forever to build the thing. The other weird part was they built the store and basically finished it then it sat for a few months then they went out front and put the hole in the ground for gas and got the gas thing set up (took another 4-5 months).
Once gas was set up it was opened up fairly quickly by a franchisee who has a couple old non gas locations (these used to have gas but for some reason 7-Eleven took the gas away) in tough parts of town.
Brian Lutz wrote: ↑December 22nd, 2022, 7:42 pm
7-Eleven seems to have some weird aversion to corporate owned stores. Last year in Everett they took a former Mobil station on Everett Mall Way that had been sitting for quite a while,. built out a 7-eleven store inside, and then left it sitting idle for several months with "franchise this 7-Eleven" signs outside, which presumably meant that they wanted a 7-Eleven there, they just didn't want to actually operate a 7-Eleven there.
Also in Sandy UT there's a 7-Eleven location on State Street where all the lights and signs are on, but the windows are papered over and there's a sign on the door indicating that the location is closed until further notice as of some time in November. My guess is that they are looking for a new franchisee to run the store, and have just closed it in the meantime. I haven't been impressed with any of the 7-Elevens around here though, especially when there's usually much nicer and better stocked Maverik stores nearby.
As for the single cup grind coffee machines, I have started to see those at quite a few places. While I was out in the Carolinas this past weekend I saw a QuikTrip that appeared to have replaced all of their drip coffee pots with these machines. I know Maverik is using these as well.
Up here in Reno in the past they would take stores that were "between franchisees" over, run them as corporate stores, and try to get them franchised out. They have not had a corporate store in Reno for many years though. What would usually happen then was the reason the stores ever ended up "between franchisees" is they were poor performers and so those locations eventually just ended up closing. 7-Eleven also has a program where it will subsidize operators financially to take on certain lower performing stores, there are a number of those around Reno.
What I find odd with what you describe in Utah is they have a structure there to run corporate operated Speedway units. Why couldn't they just operate the 7-Eleven unit as a corporate unit and put the Speedway field management in charge of operating it? It would also be a logical way to get the Speedway field management used to the 7-Eleven format and programs.
I think 7-Eleven needs to split itself into two companies: 7-Eleven for franchise sites and Speedway for corporate sites. But that basically implies un-doing the whole Speedway merger. I have to assume part of why they bought Speedway was to gain more corporate operated stores. Yet their behavior years after the merger seems to imply that they still do not like corporate operated stores much.
When they bought Sunoco's stores, they gained a bunch of very nice corporate owned stores (Stripes, et. al.) and an original food concept (Laredo Taco Company), and many new 7-Eleven sites in Texas have LTC. I haven't seen any "stalled" 7-Eleven stores, there does look like one in Caldwell, Texas that hasn't moved along in about a month (everything done but papered-over windows) but I haven't observed it that closely so I have no idea what really remains to be done. Certainly 7-Eleven hasn't done the Sears Hometown manuever of build lots of stores, operate them for six months, then pull the plug when they don't have buyers, and at least those stores actually opened.
But then again, I live in a different reality where 7-Eleven is actually a fairly modern convenience store that has single-grind machines and restaurant co-tenants and large footprints.
7-11 seems to have different strategies in different regions. They took a long time to rebrand the Sunocos on the various eastern turnpikes, but did a nice job and brought back some of the non-foods that c-stores used to sell like travel sized packaging of HABA items, which make a lot of sense for those locations. Most of the stores are awkwardly sited---not always visible from the food courts and even easy to miss from some of the fueling areas; that may have been part of the delay.
They have been the dominant c-store chain in DC and its immediate area for decades, so there wouldn't be much for them to buy. High's Dairy slowly closed their few remaining DC area stores and focuses on Baltimore and Frederick while Royal Farms has limited coverage in the Maryland suburbs toward Baltimore. The last High's I saw was in a 1960s shopping center in Silver Spring and it disappeared when the center was updated a few years ago.
7-11 began investing in new and remodeled stores when Wawa and Sheetz began inching in from the outer suburbs but seem to have invested most heavily in their traditional turf in the city and established suburbs with stores that don't have gas service. They brought LTC here but only in DC so far--it looks like a defensive move against Wawa which has continued to open new stores in places like Georgetown even as they have closed others----the Columbia Heights store was awkwardly located and half a block from a 7-11 and any number of places that could compete with their sandwiches. The Adams Morgan store had multiple 7-11s and couldn't compete with local favorites for after-bar food like pizza places selling slices.
buckguy wrote: ↑December 24th, 2022, 7:28 am
7-11 seems to have different strategies in different regions. They took a long time to rebrand the Sunocos on the various eastern turnpikes, but did a nice job and brought back some of the non-foods that c-stores used to sell like travel sized packaging of HABA items, which make a lot of sense for those locations. Most of the stores are awkwardly sited---not always visible from the food courts and even easy to miss from some of the fueling areas; that may have been part of the delay.
They have been the dominant c-store chain in DC and its immediate area for decades, so there wouldn't be much for them to buy. High's Dairy slowly closed their few remaining DC area stores and focuses on Baltimore and Frederick while Royal Farms has limited coverage in the Maryland suburbs toward Baltimore. The last High's I saw was in a 1960s shopping center in Silver Spring and it disappeared when the center was updated a few years ago.
7-11 began investing in new and remodeled stores when Wawa and Sheetz began inching in from the outer suburbs but seem to have invested most heavily in their traditional turf in the city and established suburbs with stores that don't have gas service. They brought LTC here but only in DC so far--it looks like a defensive move against Wawa which has continued to open new stores in places like Georgetown even as they have closed others----the Columbia Heights store was awkwardly located and half a block from a 7-11 and any number of places that could compete with their sandwiches. The Adams Morgan store had multiple 7-11s and couldn't compete with local favorites for after-bar food like pizza places selling slices.
7-Eleven actually has a large mix of non-snack products for its c-store aisles. Different stores get a different mix of products. We have a few large ones in my area that have what could best be described as their "full mix" and that mix of travel size HBA is very extensive and has a few difficult to otherwise find in travel size available. I have to assume doing this is productive for them otherwise they would have shifted with the rest of the industry away from handling so many of these items. The margin on these items, given most of them are 7-Select private label, should be very good.
buckguy wrote: ↑December 24th, 2022, 7:28 am
7-11 seems to have different strategies in different regions. They took a long time to rebrand the Sunoco's on the various eastern turnpikes but did a nice job and brought back some of the non-foods that c-stores used to sell like travel sized packaging of HABA items, which make a lot of sense for those locations. Most of the stores are awkwardly sited---not always visible from the food courts and even easy to miss from some of the fueling areas; that may have been part of the delay.
Seems even more strange that they wouldn't try to do a changeover in those cases. After all, many people may not think about a store with a name like Sunoco (that is more thinking of a brand of fuel), but most people (even those of us in areas that never had them, like here in NY) know of 7-11 as a convenience store.
Thus, if they posted signs with the 7-11 name somewhere in the plaza (often they have a list of names near the entry to the food/restroom section), people would be more likely to look around and find it (as they do have a way of hiding those stores attached to the fuel section in many of the travel plazas).
I visited the grand opening of a new 7-Eleven in San Leandro, California today. It was awful. The store used to be a Shell Convenience store, but it was converted to a 7-Eleven.
The walls have white subway tiles and the floor is a dark color. There are new modern Slurpee machines, a computerized touch screen Big Gulp soda machine with flavor shots, and a custom frozen lemonade machine. All of the drink machines were not working except for the Big Gulp soda machine. What kind of a grand opening is this if nothing works?
There was a walk-in beer cooler and fancy flat panel TV screens advertising things. I was not impressed.
There is another 7-Eleven down the street across the freeway. I think this is overkill as there are too many convenience stores in this area. The 7-Eleven app did give a buy 4 get 1 free car wash deal.
I have never seen a dual signed 7-Eleven store. The 7-Eleven shares a hallway with the Burger King next door and the merchandise extends down the hall towards the Burger King. It blurs the line between Burger King and 7-Eleven. You don't know where one ends and the other begins. The restrooms are shared between the two.
A second new 7-Eleven opened in Reno on Lemmon Drive (it replaced an older unit nearby). This unit is completely different from the new unit that opened on Rock Blvd. It seems to be smaller, have fewer gas pumps, and less beverage dispensing equipment inside. It has a tile floor instead of cement and doesn't play any music inside. It has a walk in beer cave (Rock does not) which may be why the spacing/allocations seem all different.
Also they don't seem to be integrating Speedway at all. I was in a couple of Speedways and aside from some Big Gulp and Slurpee cups they are not marketing the other 7-Eleven items at all. All of the promotion signs advertise Speedy Rewards and make no references to 7-Eleven at all. I am wondering what exactly they are planning to do with Speedway given the total lack of integration. They probably figured out Speedway was light years ahead of 7-Eleven on operations, technology, and basically everything else and were actually smart enough to just leave it alone for now.
Also noticed the gas prices at Speedway are still not being competitive. One unit was 4.68 with an Arco across the road 4.49 (4.39 cash price). In this past this station would always price match or be within .10 of the Arco under various brands (Beacon, USA, Chevron, USA, Shell). Speedway is giving .11 off per gallon fuel fuel if you use Speedy Rewards but this is not advertised anywhere.
Alpha8472 wrote: ↑April 9th, 2023, 11:52 pm
I have never seen a dual signed 7-Eleven store. The 7-Eleven shares a hallway with the Burger King next door and the merchandise extends down the hall towards the Burger King. It blurs the line between Burger King and 7-Eleven. You don't know where one ends and the other begins. The restrooms are shared between the two.
Where I used to work, the 7-Eleven (converted from another chain) was connected to a KFC/Long John Silver's. The lighting was different on the KFC/LJS side. Another 7-Eleven up the road had a Schlotzsky's connected, but those were connected with basically a hole in the wall to each other.
