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92-832: Circle K Stores, Inc. is a North American chain of convenience stores headquartered in Tempe, Arizona , and owned by Alimentation Couche-Tard, Inc. , based in Laval, Quebec . Founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas , the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990 and went through several owners, before being acquired by Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2003. As of February 2020, Circle K has 9,799 stores in North America, 2,697 stores in Europe, and an additional 2,380 stores operating under franchise agreements worldwide. In 2015, Circle K unveiled

184-684: A gas/petrol station , so customers can purchase goods while refuelling their vehicle. It may be located alongside a busy road, in an urban area , near a railway or railroad station or other transport hub. In some countries, convenience stores have long shopping hours and some remain open 24 hours. Convenience stores often charge significantly higher prices than conventional grocery stores or supermarkets , as they buy smaller quantities of inventory at higher per-unit prices from wholesalers . Customers benefit from their longer opening hours, more convenient and greater number of locations and shorter cashier lines. A convenience store may also be called

276-496: A joint venture with Vietnamese distributor Phu Thai Group , after 2013, both companies went their own way, and Phu Thai Group took over a number of FamilyMart stores and started operating them under its own brand B's Mart . As of 2017, FamilyMart operated 130 stores in Ho Chi Minh City. At the end of May 2012, the number of operating FamilyMart stores had reached 7,271. In June 2012, FamilyMart of South Korea , which

368-942: A sale and leaseback agreement for its U.S. stores, and most of its UK gas stations and restaurants would be sold to retail chain Asda (which had recently been acquired by EG founders Mohsin and Zuber Issa ) in 2023, along with EG On the Move —a separate company led by Zuber. On August 19, 2024, Couche-Tard announced it would buy Pittsburgh -based GetGo from Giant Eagle , greatly expanding Circle K's presence in Pennsylvania (all of its existing stores in that state are descended from Lawson's/Dairy Mart) and complimenting its existing stores in Ohio, Indiana , and West Virginia , and add to its stores in Maryland . A 2021 report on wage theft by

460-478: A North American distribution company specializing in fresh convenience. Another large chain is Quickie Mart (whose name predates the fictitious " Kwik-E-Mart " featured on The Simpsons ). The world's largest convenience retailer, 7-Eleven , has about 500 Canadian locations from British Columbia to Ontario . Worldwide, the highest number of the chain's Slurpee beverages are sold in Winnipeg , Manitoba and

552-637: A cold store, party store ( Michigan ), bodega (New York City), carry out , mini-market , mini-mart , corner shop, deli or milk bar (Australia), dairy (New Zealand), superette (New Zealand, parts of Canada, and in parts of the US), corner store (many parts of English-speaking Canada and New England), a späti (from 'spätkauf' (lit. 'buy-late') in Germany, a konbini (コンビニ in Japanese ) in Japan, based on

644-534: A combination of these, but no household goods) or Trinkhalle ("drinking hall"), although they are not pubs, as the name might suggest. A name used for market stalls and also in some regions for little shops is Büdchen (from Bude , "stall, hut, room"); where no special local name for them exists, often just the equivalents of "small shop" or "corner shop" are used ("der kleine Laden/ das Lädchen / das Lädchen an der Ecke"). Snack shops integrated into petrol stations can also have long opening hours, but in contrast to

736-428: A convenience store are often higher than those at a supermarket , mass merchandise store or auto supply store, as convenience stores order smaller quantities of inventory at higher per-unit prices from wholesalers. Some convenience stores are similar to corner markets, but often have less variety in food. Product containers in a convenience store are often smaller with reduced product quantity to allow more products on

828-861: A day from factories. Since products are delivered as needed, stores do not need large stock areas. According to the Japan Franchise Association, as of October 2021 (data pertaining to the month of July 2021), there are 55,931 convenience stores in Japan. 7-Eleven leads the market with 12,467 stores, followed by: Lawson (9,562) and FamilyMart (7,604). Other operators include Circle K Sunkus (acquired by Family Mart in 2016; now defunct), Daily Yamazaki , Ministop , Am/Pm Japan (acquired by Family Mart in 2009; now defunct), Poplar , Coco Store (acquired by Family Mart in 2015; now defunct) and Seico Mart. Many items available in larger supermarkets can be found in Japanese convenience stores, though

920-556: A desk as a decoy in front of their stores, while offering the same range of products as a holder of a mini market license. There are also many small neighborhood stores, known as toko kelontong or warung . Some are sponsored by a network of stores, mostly owned by cigarette companies (such as DRP by Djarum , GGSP by Gudang Garam or SRC by Sampoerna ) or tech companies (such as Mitra Bukalapak or Mitra Tokopedia ). Convenience stores ( コンビニエンスストア , konbiniensu sutoa ) , often shortened to konbini ( コンビニ ) , developed at

1012-593: A dollar. The price point of its 44-ounce size (marketed as "Epic XL" in some regions) may vary, as it may be under or over $ 1, depending on the region. The Polar Pop was first introduced in Bigfoot convenience stores by Johnson Oil Company in Columbus, Indiana , prior to its acquisition by Alimentation Couche-Tard. After the acquisition, the company began rebranding fountain drinks in other stores owned by Couche-Tard. As of 2018, Circle K sells 17 Polar Pops every second in

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1104-423: A fast-food chain maintaining a counter in the store. To save space, food is not prepared in the store. Instead, these counters offer a limited menu of items delivered several times a day from a local branch of the restaurant, with items intended to be served hot either kept hot under a warming device or reheated as ordered. Convenience stores may be combined with other services, such as general stores and pawn shops,

1196-734: A large, multinational convenience store operator based in the Montreal area, for US$ 830 million ($ 1.37 billion in 2023 dollars). In 2005, Taiwan 's OK Convenience Store chain terminated its franchise agreement with Circle K. In 2006, the company acquired the 90-store Spectrum chain serving Georgia and Alabama , the CFM chain in Missouri , 35 Sterling Dairy locations in Northwest Ohio , and 26 stores under various brands from Chico Enterprises of Morgantown, West Virginia . This came after

1288-462: A lesser degree. Many convenience stores have a beverage fountain that offers coffee, soft drinks, and frozen beverages. Stores often stock fast-moving consumer goods ; items with a high turnover are preferred over items with a lower sales rate. The smaller convenience stores typically have few perishable items because it is not economically viable to rotate perishables frequently with a low number of staff. Smaller convenience stores also do not generate

1380-632: A limited amount of alcohol, newspapers, magazines, slushies, cup noodles, ice cream, hot food, oden , game reload and mobile top up cards. Some also have the service of reloading Touch N' Go cards or ATMs. Most have a microwave oven and hot water boiler to heat food. Some have seasonal and limited food, desserts or special imported products and items, like FamilyMart importing strawberry Coca-Cola from Japan. Malaysia has sundry shops that sell daily items and perishables at lower prices, but unlike convenience shops, they are not open 24/7. Some of these sundry shops also sell traditional herbs and ingredients. Oxxo

1472-678: A new logo and brand identity, and Couche-Tard announced that it would deploy the brand globally, including Canada (except Quebec, rebranding from the Mac's brand), Europe (rebranding from the Statoil brand), and the United States (rebranding from the Kangaroo Express brand and updating the existing Circle K brand). Since the 1980s, Circle K has been the largest chain of company-owned and operated (non-franchised) convenience stores in

1564-598: A number of stores at Kaesong Industrial Region and Mount Kumgang Tourist Region in North Korea for South Korean visitors and workers; all the stores are now closed. Beginning in July 2005, FamilyMart began building and opening several stores in Los Angeles , California , under the name Famima!! . After freezing the number of locations at 10 in 2010, FamilyMart closed all eight of its Famima!! convenience stores in

1656-926: A portion of the Ultramar chain in Canada to Circle K (with the latter also switching fuel suppliers to Irving). Also in 2017, Couche-Tard bought Holiday Stationstores , a Minnesota-based chain of fuel stations in the Midwestern United States . Couche-Tard would integrate business practices from Holiday into the Circle K business, including its food service model and car wash subscriptions. Some locations also piloted store formats patterned after that of Holiday. In November 2018, Circle K opened its first store in New Zealand through master franchisee Pamma Retail Group. In September 2021, Circle K announced

1748-568: A range of everyday items such as convenience food , groceries , beverages , tobacco products , lottery tickets , over-the-counter drugs , toiletries , newspapers and magazines . In some jurisdictions , convenience stores (such as off-licences in the UK) are licensed to sell alcoholic drinks , although many other jurisdictions limit such beverages to those with relatively low alcohol content, like beer and wine . The stores may also offer money order and wire transfer services, along with

1840-526: A ticket counter for purchasing railway tickets, a post office counter , or gasoline pumps. In Asian countries like Japan or Taiwan , convenience stores are more common because of the higher population density. They are found with gasoline and train stations, but also can be stand-alone stores. Items such as soft drinks or snacks, hot dogs, sausages and fish cakes can be found in these stores. Delicatessens are absent; instead, pre-made sandwiches are available. Non-consumables such as magazines are also sold, but to

1932-570: A tremendous rate in Japan . 7-Eleven Japan, while struggling to localize their service in the 1970s to 1980s, evolved its point of sale -based business, until ultimately, Seven & I Holdings Co. , the parent company of 7-Eleven Japan, acquired 7-Eleven (US) from Southland Corporation in 1991. Japanese-style convenience stores also heavily influenced those stores in other Asian regions or countries, such as Mainland China , Taiwan , Thailand , and South Korea . Convenience stores rely heavily on

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2024-562: Is R-Kioski , with over 560 kiosks across the country, which are all franchise-licensed businesses. There are some independent convenience stores that use the word Kymppi or number 10 in their business name, which is reminiscent of a former large convenience store chain called 10-Kioski, which vanished around the early 2000s. Kymppi is a spoken colloquial word for number 10 ("kymmenen") in Finnish. Smaller towns often have independent kiosks. Convenience stores at service stations are run by either

2116-1259: Is known for its distinctive doorbell melody, which plays upon entering the store. The doorbells are exclusively made by Panasonic . The melody is referred to as Melody Chime No. 1 – Daiseikyou, and was originally developed for Panasonic by Yasuhi Inada in 1978. The first FamilyMart opened in Sayama , Saitama Prefecture , in 1973. In 2002, it was listed as a company in Taiwan. In October 2013, FamilyMart opened its 10,000th store in Japan. Operations in certain parts of Asia, especially China, continue to expand. FamilyMart also operated stores in South Korea from 1990 until 2014, when FamilyMart sold its stake in BGF Retail and divested from South Korea. As of January 2018, there were 24,243 stores worldwide; 17,409 stores in Japan, 3,165 stores in Taiwan, 2,177 stores in China, 1,138 stores in Thailand, 277 stores in Malaysia, 66 stores in

2208-563: Is now common for convenience stores to sell fresh French bread (or similar). A process of freezing parbaked bread allows easy shipment (often from France ) and baking in-store. Some shops have a delicatessen counter, offering custom-made sandwiches and baguettes . Others have racks offering fresh delivered or baked doughnuts from local doughnut shops. Some shops have a self-service microwave oven for heating purchased food. Fast food items are often available, with stores offering such food either under its owner banner or in partnership with

2300-566: Is sold under various brands, with the Circle K and Shell brands as the most common. Other brands of fuel sold at Circle K stores include Valero , BP , Exxon , Marathon , Irving , Mobil , Esso and Phillips 66 . Approximately 13% of stores worldwide do not sell fuel. Circle K operates stores in the United States, Canada, Europe (the Nordics, Baltics, Poland, Russia, & Ireland), and Hong Kong, and has franchises in Mexico (it partners with

2392-565: Is the first convenience store selling soft serve ice cream and fresh snacks. FamilyMart Malaysia are owned by Maxincome Resources Sdn Bhd which is one of QL Resources Bhd subsidiary. They had a 20-year agreement with FamilyMart Co Ltd. All of FamilyMart Malaysia's food service and ready-to-eat selections are made with halal ingredients only. The service is currently in the midst of the halal application process with JAKIM. The products available in FamilyMart that are Halal certified will carry

2484-1365: Is the largest chain in the country, with more than 15,000 stores around the country. Other convenience stores, such as Tiendas Extra , 7-Eleven , SuperCity , ampm , and Circle K , are also found in Mexico . The first convenience store in the country, Super 7 (now a 7-Eleven), was opened in 1976 in Monterrey , Nuevo León . There are also some regional chains, like Amigo Express and CB Mas, that operate in Comarca Lagunera , Super Q and El Matador in Queretaro , Coyote in central Mexico, Kiosko in Colima and some locations in nearby states, and JV in northeastern Mexico. Stores sell fast food like coffee , hot dogs , nachos and prepaid cellphones between MXN$ 20 and MXN$ 500, mainly Telcel and Movistar , newspapers , magazines , and Panini products and other novelties. FamilyMart FamilyMart stores sell typical Japanese convenience store goods, including basic grocery items, magazines, manga , soft drinks, alcoholic drinks like sake , nikuman (steamed pork buns), fried chicken, onigiri /omusubi (rice balls), and bento . FamilyMart

2576-509: Is their extended hours of operation. Many are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The majority of convenience stores in Australia are small businesses, being either independently owned or operated under franchise or licence agreement. The industry comprises over 6,000 stores and employs well over 40,000 people as of mid-2018. The Australian convenience channel merchandise sales are valued at $ 8.4 billion (excluding petrol sales) according to

2668-812: The Center for Public Integrity named Circle K as one of the "worst offenders" in the United States. A class-action lawsuit was brought against the company in 2014, for which the company agreed in 2019 to pay a settlement of US$ 8.3 million. Circle K settled a similar class-action lawsuit in 2015 as well. Fountain drinks at Circle K are sold in Polar Pop cups, previously called Thirst Busters, and are available in expanded polystyrene cups. In areas where expanded polystyrene containers are illegal, plastic or paper cups are offered. The 52-ounce cups are plastic. Most American locations offer any size, 32 ounce or under, for under $ 1, while 52 ounces or above cups are priced at over

2760-716: The Cleveland Guardians strikeout sign. It is located in center field at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio . The "K" logo represents the "K" used for strikeouts in traditional baseball scorekeeping and is replicated with each strikeout. The same sponsorship is in place with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona . If the Diamondbacks strikeout ten batters or more,

2852-701: The F&;B outlets that was chosen by PLUS Malaysia Berhad , the largest expressway in Malaysia to set up their stores in one of the R&;R areas. As of May 6, 2021, there are 242 stores nationwide, marking the 200th store milestone on the first store in Penang after its 100th store in Melaka . By 2022, they planned to open 300 stores nationwide. FamilyMart was launched in the Philippines on April 7, 2013 under

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2944-642: The "Kangaroo Express" name, were expected to be rebranded under the Circle K banner. On August 12, 2015, Circle K opened its first five convenience stores in Costa Rica , Central America, after having bought and rebranded the local convenience store chain Delimart. On September 23, 2015, Couche-Tard unveiled a refreshed brand identity for Circle K, and announced that the Statoil (Northern, Central and Eastern Europe) and Mac's (English Canada) brands would be converted to Circle K. In 2016, Couche-Tard acquired

3036-647: The 1900s, and there are many of those stores in every neighbourhood. In the 2010s, modern convenience stores were introduced, mainly by the AMPM company. Competitors launched brands such as Musmanni Mini Super (a chain of bakery stores promoted to convenience stores), Vindi (operated by AutoMercado supermarket company) and Fresh Market (operated by AMPM in a format appealing to prosperous neighborhoods). In Finland , convenience stores are referred to as kiosks, except for those found inside service stations, which are referred to simply as stores. The biggest convenience store chain

3128-460: The 2005 rebranding of the various Couche-Tard stores ( Mac's , Bigfoot , Dairy Mart , and Handy Andy) under the more nationally known Circle K brand. In mid-2006, Alimentation Couche-Tard entered into a franchising agreement with ConocoPhillips to brand some of its company-owned stores as Circle K, in the western portion of the U.S. ConocoPhillips remodeled the stores into the Circle K scheme but continued to operate them. The stores continued to have

3220-680: The AACS State of the Industry Report 2017. Australia has a flourishing convenience industry with a number of well-known convenience brands including: 7-Eleven, Ampol, NightOwl, Ezymart, BP, APCO, Coles Express, On The Run, Viva Energy, Freedom Fuels and Puma. Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., which operates Couche-Tard, Provi-Soir, Dépanneur 7, Circle K , Mac's , Winks, and Becker's , is the largest convenience store chain in Canada and receives its products through Core-Mark International ,

3312-692: The Baltics, Poland, and western Russia for $ 2.8 billion. On February 10, 2014, Modelo Group sold the Tiendas Extra brand of stores to the Mexican franchise of Circle K, Circulo K. On December 18, 2014, Couche-Tard announced its acquisition of The Pantry for $ 860 million all-cash tender ($ 1.11 billion in 2023 dollars). The acquisition closed in March 2015. Following the closing, all stores that were owned and operated by The Pantry, many of them under

3404-600: The English loanword 'convenience', dépanneur or dep (used in Canada, primarily Quebec , in both English and French. It is a loanword from the French 'troubleshooter'). Various types include, for example, liquor stores ( off-licences -offices), mini-markets (mini-marts), general stores or party stores. Typically confectionery (sweets, ice cream, soft drinks), lottery tickets, newspapers and magazines are sold, although merchandise varies widely from store to store. Unless

3496-468: The French-speaking province of Quebec , a convenience store is known as a " dépanneur " or "dep" for short, even among some when speaking in English. Chilean convenience stores are typically found at gas stations in most urban and near-urban areas on highways. Examples include Punto/Pronto (owned by Copec ), Spacio 1 ( Petrobras , formerly called Tigermarket and On The Run before Esso Chile

3588-461: The Halal logo on its packaging. For products that are imported from Japan, Korea or Taiwan, the product ingredients will be vetted to ensure that no haram ingredients such as pork, lard or alcoholic substance were used. Customers will be able to read the ingredients information on the food or drinks packaging before purchase to ensure hassle-free consuming. In April 2019, FamilyMart Malaysia was one of

3680-741: The Irish service station chain Topaz . In April 2018, Couche-Tard announced that they too would be rebranded to Circle K. Couche-Tard similarly acquired Imperial Oil 's Esso retail locations in Ontario (228) and Quebec (50) the same year, and rebranded the convenience stores in Ontario (many of which previously operated under the On the Run brand) to Circle K. In 2017, Couche-Tard completed its acquisition of CST Brands , adding stores formerly owned by Valero Energy , and

3772-471: The July 1, 2012 introduction of a "feed-in tariff system", which the government and electricity companies say guarantees purchases of electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind generators. Surplus power can be sold only after in-store lighting and air-conditioning have been powered. On 30 January 2006, FamilyMart began trials of an automatic cashier station at one of its Tokyo stores in cooperation with Itochu and Toshiba . Special tags on items in

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3864-939: The Mainways in Newfoundland and Labrador did not change until summer 2010. The parties had earlier formed a similar partnership in Quebec , with the stores there operated as Couche-Tard. In April 2009, ExxonMobil sold 43 Phoenix stores to parent company Couche-Tard as part of a sale of the larger On the Run franchise. These 43 stores were to be rebranded under the Circle K name. In July 2010, Circle K had dropped down to fourth rank in number of stores (3,455), behind 7-Eleven (6,523 stores), BP (4,730 stores), and Shell (4,630 convenience stores) in 2010. In April 2012, Circle K purchased Norway -based Statoil Fuel and Retail ASA and its 2300 fuel stations located in Scandinavia ,

3956-482: The Mexican stores " Tiendas Extra " created by Modelo Group), Cambodia, China, Egypt, Guam, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Macau, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. In Hong Kong and Macau , the stores are called OK in reference to the circle around the K. Circle K Hong Kong was founded in 1985 by Li & Fung Retailing (later Fung Retailing) as licensee of

4048-829: The Philippines, 165 stores in Vietnam, and 87 stores in Indonesia. FamilyMart was a subsidiary of the FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co., Ltd. (UFHD), which also owned supermarket chain Uny , until 2020. UFHD was dissolved when Uny was acquired by the parent company of Don Quijote in 2020. FamilyMart Co.'s parent company is Itochu , a Japanese trading company, with a stake of 50.1%. On July 8, 2020, Itochu announced it would spend approximately ¥580 billion (approx USD$ 5.5 billion) to purchase 100% of FamilyMart, with

4140-566: The United States and liquidated Famima Corp. USA, withdrawing from the United States in October 2015. FamilyMart has had solar power at some of its stores since at least 2004. It aims to increase its solar energy footprint in the future. There are around 45,000 convenience stores in Japan. Lawson run just under 10,000, a market share just behind 7-Eleven, who have about 13,000 stores. Currently, only 20 of Lawson's stores are equipped with solar equipment, but they plan to expand that number ahead of

4232-436: The United States it is one per 8,000 people. Another contributing factor to the widespread proliferation of convenience stores is that, because Japan has a lower crime rate, store owners are not reluctant to keep stores open at late hours in the night and customers are not reluctant to shop during those times. In Malaysia , 7-Eleven is the market leader in convenience shops, with over 2,000 shops. Other convenience shops in

4324-738: The United States. The Froster , which was introduced to Mac's stores in 1998, became very popular throughout Western Canada and Ontario . The American version of the Froster was introduced in 1999. Circle K was a part-time primary sponsor of the No. 28 IndyCar Series racecar driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport between 2011 and 2013. In 2014, it switched to KVSH Racing driver Sébastien Bourdais . Circle K, along with Oberto Sausage Company , currently sponsors Marco Andretti . In 2017, Circle K went to NASCAR , sponsoring Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs Racing with full livery for six races. It

4416-471: The United States. With 7,230 stores overall in the United States, Circle K is second to 7-Eleven 's 9,348 stores (as of July 2019). As of February 2020, there are more than 14,800 stores with the Circle K brand worldwide. Within the United States, Circle K owns and operates stores in 48 states (the two states without being Nebraska and Utah), with the largest concentration of stores found in Louisiana. Fuel

4508-475: The business needed to sustain food spoilage rates typical of grocery stores or supermarkets . As such, products with a long shelf life are the rule, unless a product is specifically aimed at attracting customers on the chance they may buy something profitable, too. Although larger, newer convenience stores may have a wide range of items, the selection is still limited compared to supermarkets, and in many stores only one or two choices are available. Prices in

4600-536: The checkout, the consumer receives a unique transaction code with an expiration date. Depending on the brand (i.e. 7–11 is slightly different from Family Mart), consumers will have to go to any convenience store and finalise the purchase, which can be either at the cashier or at the kiosk. Multiple providers offer konbini as checkout option for foreign companies selling online in Japan, such as Adyen , Degica and Ingenico ePayments. In 1974, Japan had 1,000 convenience stores. In 1996, Japan had 47,000 convenience stores and

4692-497: The city has been awarded the title of the "Slurpee Capital of the World" for many years running. Marketing itself as "more than just a convenience store", there are over 260 Hasty Market locations throughout Ontario and one in British Columbia . In addition to chain convenience stores, there are also many independently owned convenience stores in Canada. Convenience stores are also commonly referred to as "corner stores", "mini-marts" or "variety stores" in some regions of Canada. In

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4784-534: The city. It also eases the burden of families. Many Malaysians also enjoy the seasonal food that these stores provide. These stores can be found almost anywhere, especially in areas with a higher population density, such as city centres, condominiums, apartment complexes, office areas, residential areas, shop lots and petrol stations, although the store density is as high as Taiwan or Japan. Items sold at such convenience shops usually range from pre-made local food like nasi lemak, onigiri, buns, snacks, toiletries, drinks,

4876-560: The company sent a letter to its over 8,000 employees announcing that it will cut off the medical coverage of those who become sick or injured as a result of AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse or self-inflicted wounds. The company stated that "There are certain lifestyle decisions that we are just not going to assure the results of." Fortunes declined in the late 1980s as the U.S. economy began to slow down, and Circle K filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 1990; Eller resigned as CEO. Some underperforming locations were sold or closed. In 1993

4968-421: The company was purchased by Investcorp , an international investment group, and emerged from bankruptcy. In 1996, Circle K was acquired by Tosco Corporation , an independent petroleum refiner and marketer, but kept its headquarters in Phoenix. Tosco was purchased in 2001 by Phillips Petroleum, which, in 2002, merged with Conoco to form ConocoPhillips. In 2003, Circle K was purchased by Alimentation Couche-Tard ,

5060-492: The company's CEO from 1983 to 1990. During that time, Eller built Circle K into the second largest convenience store operation and the largest publicly owned convenience store chain in the U.S. with 4,631 stores in 32 states and an additional 1,300 or so licensed or joint venture stores in 13 foreign countries. Under Eller's leadership, the company grew from annual sales of $ 747 million ($ 2.29 billion in 2023 dollars) to over $ 3 billion ($ 7 billion in 2023 dollars). In 1988,

5152-440: The company's home base since 1957. (Hervey would go on to serve two terms as mayor of El Paso.) By 1975, there were 1,000 Circle K stores across the U.S. In 1979, Circle K first expanded its reach into foreign markets via a licensing agreement which established the first Circle K stores in Japan by UNY . Until 2018, Circle K stores in Japan were run by the FamilyMart Company, that was named Circle K Sunkus Company until 2016 and

5244-423: The corner", due to many Arabic-speaking immigrants form Northwest Africa who work in this sector of the economy. These shops often stay open later than the "épiceries" or groceries, even on public holidays. Shop owners consider the name improper, especially those who come from other ethnic groups, including Imazighen . (See Arabe du coin for more details on their ethnic origins.) Berliners lovingly refer to

5336-477: The country are myNEWS.com , 99 Speedmart , KK Super Mart , Quick and Easy and MyMart (owned by Mydin ). FamilyMart is also found in Malaysia and as of July 2020, has opened its 200th store in Malaysia with the goal of opening 1,000 stores by 2025, bringing the 'konbini' concept to Malaysia. CU 147SHOPS & E-MART25 Convenience stores are very popular among Malaysians, especially urban dwellers in Kuala Lumpur or other populated towns like Penang where

5428-417: The country with around 22,000 and 18,000 stores in 2023, respectively. Foreign chains like Family Mart , Circle K or Lawson , on the other hand, have their stores in big cities and cater to a specific lifestyle instead of focusing on "convenience". To be classified as a convenience store, the store should occupy no more than 100 square meters (1,100 sq ft) of service area; in some local residences,

5520-442: The customer experience. The rebranding occurred over the following five years and as of March 2020, all of Europe and 85% of North America had been updated with the Circle K brand and logo. Entrepreneur Fred Hervey purchased three Kay's Food Stores in El Paso, Texas , in 1951. Hervey renamed the stores as "Circle K Food Stores, Inc." rather than "Kay." He grew the Circle K chain into neighboring New Mexico and Arizona, which has been

5612-442: The customer's shopping basket are remotely and instantly sensed at the register. Seventeen convenience store owners of FamilyMart stores formed a union and requested collective bargaining with the company. They were refused and sued. In April 2015 the Central Labor Commission of Japan found that FamilyMart had violated the Trade Union Law by refusing to negotiate with the union. The franchise owners were recognized as employees under

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5704-403: The game's attendees receive a voucher for a free cup of Polar Pop, while Guardians fans receive the same voucher after select home games. In May 2017, a sponsored Circle K Power Cube was introduced into the online game Ingress . Convenience store A convenience store , convenience shop , bodega , corner store , corner shop , or superette is a small retail store that stocks

5796-476: The highest number of bill payments among convenience stores in Taiwan, with over 100 million bills paid per year. FamilyMart sued to end its partnership with Ting Hsin in 2019, which would end a 15-year joint venture . FamilyMart opened its first store in 1993 and grew to over 1,000 locations within the next decades. In May 2020, FamilyMart transferred their 49% stake of the Thai joint venture to partner Central Group . Despite FamilyMart's effective exit from

5888-401: The importance of creating destinations within the store that require additional space—whether coffee islands, food service areas with seating, or financial services kiosks. Convenience stores have expanded their offerings over the last few years, with stores becoming a part-supermarket, restaurant, gas station and even a bank or drug store. In the United States, convenience stores are sometimes

5980-698: The intent to sell 4.9% of the shares to Zen-Noh and Norinchukin Bank . FamilyMart shareholders approved the takeover on October 26, and the stock was delisted on November 12, thus leading the completion of the acquisition. FamilyMart opened its first store in Shanghai , China , in 2004. Since then, the chain has expanded to Guangzhou , Suzhou and Hangzhou . Other stores are in Shenzhen , Guangzhou, Chengdu , Wuxi , Beijing and Dongguan . By December 2020, there are over 2,967 FamilyMart stores in mainland China . FamilyMart opened its first store in Malaysia at Wisma Lim Foo Yong in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur on November 11, 2016. It has become popular because it

6072-451: The limit is 250 square meters (2,700 sq ft). The Indonesian government also regulates the convenience store license process, so it can only be bought by franchisees, using a different name and different brand, or classifying it as cafeteria . A convenience store with a cafeteria license is only allowed to sell a maximum 10% of its service space for non-food/beverages product. This type of convenience store often puts lawn chairs and

6164-454: The name, but sold back to Couche-Tard in 2020. Circle K had 387 franchised locations throughout Hong Kong as of May 2020. The Circle K brand entered the Canadian market in 2008, in connection with Couche-Tard's acquisition of Irving Oil 's convenience store network. By 2019, more than 800 Mac's branded stores had been rebranded to Circle K throughout central and western Canada. In September 2015, Couche-Tard announced that Circle K would become

6256-617: The nearest traditional market. This allows traditional markets to continue selling local goods, but also greatly lowers the opportunities for profit by those who seek to build or own a convenience store by reducing the eligibility of property to be developed into a convenience store. This is especially true in small towns and rural areas. As a result, convenience stores in rural areas are often built side-by-side or at maximum within 50 meters (160 ft) of each other. The two major national convenience store chains in Indonesia are Indomaret and Alfamart , both of which serve almost all areas within

6348-489: The neighbourhood Späti -type shops, petrol station shops nowadays are usually part of large retail chains. " Tante-Emma-Laden  [ de ] " (aunt-Emma-shop) is used as a nostalgic term for old-fashioned general stores (typically family owned), the historic predecessors of modern discounters and supermarkets which they were replaced by (similar to mom-and-pop stores). In India , "mom-and-pop" convenience stores are called kirana stores and constitute part of

6440-422: The new ConocoPhillips unified canopy design and ProClean fuels. These stores were spun off as Phillips 66 in May 2012. Another oil company, Canada -based Irving Oil , leased out its convenience stores operating under the Bluecanoe and Mainway banners in the United States and Atlantic Canada to Couche-Tard, which rebranded the locations to Circle K in July 2008, while still selling Irving-branded fuel. However,

6532-429: The number was increasing by 1,500 annually. Peter Landers of the Associated Press said that the computerised distribution system allows Japanese convenience stores to stock a wider variety of products, allowing them to be more competitive in the marketplace. Because of this technology and the consequent ease of maintaining the right amount of stock, Japan can support one convenience store for every 2,000 people, while in

6624-599: The only businesses near an interstate highway exit where drivers can buy any kind of food or drink for miles. Most of the profit margin from these stores comes from beer, liquor and cigarettes. Although those three categories themselves usually yield lower margins per item, the sales volume in them generally compensates for it. Profits per item are much higher on deli items (bags of ice, chicken, etc.), but sales are generally lower. In some countries, convenience stores have longer shopping hours , some being open 24 hours. The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS),

6716-1172: The outlet is a liquor store , the range of alcoholic beverages is likely to be limited (i.e. beer and wine) or non-existent. Most stores sell cigarettes and other tobacco products (e.g. cigarette papers , pipe tobacco, cigars and e-liquid for e-cigarettes ). In many North American jurisdictions, tobacco products comprise the greatest portion of gross sales at convenience stores, between 25% and 35%. Varying degrees of food and grocery supplies are usually available, from household products to prepackaged foods like sandwiches and frozen burritos . Automobile-related items—such as motor oil, maps and car kits—may be sold. Often toiletries and other hygiene products are stocked, as well as sanitary products and contraception . Stores may carry apparel, home furnishings, CDs, and DVDs. Some stores offer money orders and wire transfer services. They may carry small appliances, as well as other household items such as coolers and backpacks. Convenience stores have also been known to carry candles, stationery, artwork, and crockery. Many convenience shops offer ready-to-eat food, such as breakfast sandwiches and fry-ups. Throughout Europe , it

6808-584: The ownership of Ayala Corporation , Rustan's Group and Itochu. Philippine FamilyMart CVS Inc. is the official Philippine franchisee of FamilyMart. Its first Philippine branch, opened on April 22, 2013, is located at the Glorietta 3 mall in Makati . In 2017, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. , a unit of the Davao-based conglomerate Udenna Corporation , acquired the franchise from the triumvirate; it

6900-621: The peak body for Australian convenience stores, defines a convenience store as a "retail business with the primary emphasis placed on providing the public with a convenient location to quickly purchase from an array of consumable products, predominantly food and beverages, services as well as petrol." The product mix includes: food to go, beverages, dispensed/barista coffee, snacks (including confectionery), tobacco, basic groceries, ice, petrol and carwash. Stores may offer services such as ATMs, "click & collect", gas bottle exchange, money transfer and lottery tickets. A key feature of convenience stores

6992-489: The point of sale. Customers' ages and gender, as well as tomorrow's weather forecast, are important data. Stores place all orders online. As store floor space is limited, they must be careful in choosing what brands to sell. In many cases, several stores from the same chain do business in neighboring areas. This strategy makes distribution to each store cheaper, as well as making multiple deliveries per day possible. Generally, food goods are delivered to each store two to five times

7084-503: The population density is higher. Its 24/7 policy allows Malaysians to have easy access to necessities or as an alternative hang-out area, especially since Malaysians love to go out for midnight supper at mamaks and eateries that also open late at night, as more and more Malaysians are beginning to work or go out late. The availability of fresh hot food or cold premade food is popular among young workers with less time to prepare food for themselves, as many have irregular work hours, especially in

7176-663: The purchase of 10 convenience and food stores from the Griffin Group in Ireland. All the stores being bought are in Dublin and located in busy areas such as O’Connell Street, College Green, Grafton Street and Sandyford. In February 2022, Couche-Tard announced that it would rebrand 12 Holiday Stationstores locations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota , to Circle K. In April 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that Couche-Tard

7268-686: The selection is usually smaller. As well, the following additional services are also commonly available: Some stores also sell charging service for electronic money and ATM services for credit card or consumer finance . Items not commonly sold include: Slurpees , lottery tickets, car supplies and gasoline . Konbini also offer customers the option of making konbini payments (often also referred to as just konbini ), an offline payment solution that allows customers without credit or debit cards to make online purchases. A consumer can buy online services or goods, such as video games on Steam or tickets for events. By selecting konbini as payment method at

7360-594: The small neighbourhood shops with late opening times found throughout the city (often operated by families with immigrant roots, akin to France) as Späti (translating to "Lat(e)y", derived from Spätkauf , "late purchase"). In North Rhine-Westfalia people call the same kind of shop either Kiosk , like the Finnish, (using the word in a way differing from the rest of Germany, where "Kiosk" usually means only stall-like buildings or other very small window-selling shops which are not entered by customers and which sell either newspapers and magazines or snacks and cigarettes, or

7452-650: The station's parent oil company such as Shell or by either of the two major retail corporations in Finland, Kesko or S Group . Virtually all staffed service stations have a small convenience store. In France chain convenience stores are referred to as "supérettes", implying they are mini-supermarkets. Brands include Carrefour City, Casino Shop, Coccimarket, Daily Monop', Franprix, G20, Leader Price Express, Marché Plus, Sherpa, Sitis, Spar, Utile, Vival... (see Magasin de proximité ). Some other, independent convenience shops are referred to as " Arabe du coin " – "Arab on

7544-514: The store shelves. This reduces the apparent cost differences between full-size packaging in supermarkets. Reduced packaging also reduces waste when a traveller such as a hotel guest does not want to or cannot carry leftover product with them when they depart. The average U.S. convenience store has a sales area of 2,768 square feet (257.2 m ). New stores average about 2,800 square feet (260 m ) of sales area and about 1,900 square feet (180 m ) of non-sales area—a nod to retailers recognising

7636-476: The traditional food retail system. Kirana are typically family-owned stores that operate in fixed locations and carry both basic food and non-food items. Supermarket-styled convenience stores in Indonesia (commonly known as "minimarket") are mostly scattered around the towns. Due to local government restrictions in Indonesia, usually convenience stores may only be built at least 500 meters (1,600 ft) from

7728-403: The use of a fax machine or photocopier for a small per-copy cost. Some also sell tickets or recharge smart cards, e.g. Opus cards in Montreal , Canada, or include a small deli . They differ from general stores and village shops in that they are not in a rural location and are used as a convenient (hence their common name) supplement to larger stores. A convenience store may be part of

7820-479: The venture, they maintained licensing rights and store locations retained the company's name. Their franchise agreement with Central ended in 2023, and FamilyMart exited Thailand as its roughly 200 remaining stores in the country were to be converted to Central's Tops Daily brand. FamilyMart opened its first store in Vietnam in 2009, starting in Ho Chi Minh City . Initially the stores were operated in

7912-648: The worldwide brand of all of its convenience stores, replacing Mac's , Kangaroo Express , Statoil , and Holiday Stationstores brands (except the Couche-Tard brand in Quebec and the INGO brand in Europe). This global rebrand included the introduction of a new logo incorporating elements of its existing brands, improvements to its product offerings and technology, and investing in store-level improvements aimed at improving

8004-487: Was being run by FamilyMart Corporation and BGF Retail, was renamed and converted to ' CU ' (short for "Convenience for You") under ownership of BGF Retail after an order coming from BGF Retail that required FamilyMart to leave the South Korean market, and to cease operations there. At the end of March 2014, FamilyMart withdrew from the South Korean market completely. In addition, South Korean franchisees had operated

8096-609: Was completed in 2018. There are now more than 65 stores in the Philippines, including those built at select Phoenix Petroleum stations. On November 21, 2019, FamilyMart opened its largest outlet in the world, with an area of 390 square meters (4,200 sq ft), at Udenna Tower in Bonifacio Global City , Taguig . In 1988, FamilyMart began opening stores in Taiwan. As of October 2021, FamilyMart has over 3,600 stores in Taiwan. FamilyMart provides banking and bill payment services and as of 2018, FamilyMart accepts

8188-637: Was considering the British convenience store and restaurant operator EG Group , which would have given it a larger presence in Australia , Western Europe , and EG Group's home market of the United Kingdom , as well as the U.S. (where it had bought Kroger 's convenience store business, as well as Cumberland Farms ), especially in Florida , New England , and Ohio . EG Group would instead enter into

8280-400: Was named Circle K Japan Company until 2004, which licensed the Circle K brand from Alimentation Couche-Tard. In 2018, all Circle K stores in Japan were converted to FamilyMart stores. In 1983, the number of stores increased to 2,180 with the purchase of the 960-store UtoteM chain in the western and southern United States. Karl Eller , a prominent Phoenix, Arizona businessman, served as

8372-563: Was on the car when Kenseth won his final NASCAR Cup Race at that year's fall race at Phoenix Raceway . Also in 2017, Circle K became the official shirt sponsor of United Soccer League side North Carolina FC and signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with the Lithuanian Basketball League . Due to its sizable presence in Greater Cleveland , from the former Lawson/Dairy Mart stores, Circle K sponsors

8464-424: Was owned by Petrobras), Va y Ven ( Terpel ), Upa!, Upita! and Select (from Shell ). Other brands operating mostly in downtowns and middle- to upper-class neighborhoods are Ok! Market (owned by Unimarc), Big John and Oxxo (owned by FEMSA ) and some small-scale "minisupermercados" akin to mom and pop stores . In Costa Rica , family-owned and operated convenience stores called pulperías have been common since

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