The Shape of Water

C-stores provide the perfect complement for water-based recreation.

Temperatures are warming up in most of the country. This trend, and last week’s post on Spring Break, made us think about water and its role in summertime fun. We noticed that lots of recreational activities are influenced by the body of water that shaped them. And sometimes whole cultures grow up around a waterborne sport. Let’s look a few examples of what we mean. Along the way, we’ll visit a handful of the c-stores that find themselves right in the mix.

Surfing and the Beach

Surfing has come a long way since Peruvians used paddleboards to fish. That was around 2,000 BCE, but it was only the first of many defining events in the sport’s history. By the time 1,200 BCE rolled around, surfing had developed into a cultural and spiritual touchstone in the Polynesian Islands. Eight-hundred years later, Southern California put its own stamp on surfing, magnifying its influence, giving it a soundtrack, and providing scenic beaches with great waves. The SoCal flavor has become synonymous with the sport, and helped spread surfing culture worldwide.

Cstore of Note: We’re kind of cheating on this one, but it isn’t every day that you see a surfing retailer working out of what is identifiably a gas station. That’s exactly what the Surf Station, of St. Augustine, Florida, manages to pull off. Actually, this selection isn’t totally a cheat: the original site (since expanded into an MSO) still sells fuel.

Water Skiing and The Lake

People have been using boats[1] longer than Peruvians have been using paddleboards, with early sailors favoring the relatively calm waters of a lake for their rickety fishing rigs. That was survival, more than recreation, though, so it’s hard to say what they’d make of powerboats pulling people behind them on water skis, a sport not invented until 1922 by Ralph Samuelson, of Lake City, Minnesota, whose early models were basically boards as skis with clothesline as the tow rope.

If you’re looking a premier water skiing destination, Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, features four full-service Marinas on 1,255 miles of shoreline (there’s plenty of other stuff to do, too). Every August, at Lake Cumberland Raft Up, participants try to beat the Guiness World Record for how many boats can be tied to a single raft at a time.

C-store of Note: Lake Cumberland Country Store, situated right in a national park, is part of the local color. Camping, swimming, hiking and fishing equipment are available for sale or rental, next to more standard c-store merchandise. An 18-hole mini golf course is this store’s most distinctive feature.

The River Delta and the Inner Tube

The Sacramento River Delta is an intricate network of snaking rivers, sloughs, and channels that, while not possessing the high profile of California’s other natural wonders, provides approximately 380 miles of potential for houseboating and water sports. Generous shorelines bathed in warmth provide ample opportunity for people to hang out and have a good time. A favorite local pastime is free-floating down the delta on inner tubes using hands and feet to paddle while being moved by the currents of the waterway.

C-store of Note: Korth Pirate’s Lair Marina reflects the sleepy Delta lifestyle of days gone by, even as its fuel and merchandise provide the gateway to a modern marina right on the shore. Pirate’s Lair looks like it stepped out of an old time storybook. Make sure you attach your six-pack to your tub with a rope so you don’t lose it when the Delta water gets all stirred up.

Consumers travel far and wide in search of watery destinations where they can relax and have a good time. Chances are that they’ll find themselves stopping, along the way, at a c-store to load up on summertime refreshments. Is your store posed to handle sudden surges in business without losing track of sales? Viewing high-volume performance with the help of SSCS Technology can give you the confidence that you’re capturing every stream of revenue coming your way. If you’d like to know more about what that means, please give us a call at (800) 972-7277.

[1] Admittedly, simple ones, at first.