It’s a Wonderful C-Store

What would the Holiday Season be without convenience retailers?

You know that Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life with James Stewart? The one where a man named George Bailey, on the verge of suicide, gets shown by a guardian angel how bad things would have turned out if he had never been born?

If that movie was made today, it would positively, absolutely have to feature a C-Store. I mean if you’re rolling around town late on Christmas Eve trying to get some flowers or champagne after talking to an angel on a bridge, where the heck else are you going to go?

It may not be obvious at first, but the convenience store and Christmas are linked together in the mind of the consumer, an indelible part of the holiday scene, especially for the ill-prepared and forgetful.

Run out of syrup for the Christmas breakfast about to be served? The C-Store gives you a chance to get in and out before guests notice. Need extra ice or a bottle of wine for unexpected visitors? See you at the C-Store. Discover you’re low on gas as you depart for Aunt Mary’s house? The C-Store’s got you covered—all hours of the (holi)day.

Insightful operators, knowing they become a go-to destination for consumers during the holidays, often incorporate charitable promotions or events into The Season, creating a win-win, feel good narrative to compliment the commercial realities of maximizing profit. For example:

• Convenience retailers from the Northwest to the East Coast provided the fuel and refreshments for the 2013 Capitol Christmas tree caravan.
• Weigel’s partners with the Salvation Army every season to provide gifts for children who might not otherwise receive them.
• Last year, Circle K regional representatives in North and Central Louisiana helped raise money to support a mobile mammography program.
• Sheetz’ For the Kidz® program brings underprivileged children a holiday to remember.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, compelling evidence of what the C-Store can contribute to holiday spirit. No disrespect to George Bailey, but Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the C-Store.