Taking Pulse of the Convenience Industry Leaders
A pulse-check on top industry topics rounded out the August CLVG meeting. Members were provided with six questions in advance on the following issues: 24-hour operations, EV charging, labor and workforce, tariffs, legislation, and AI. The 24-Hour Store Format The first topic posed by Roy Strasburger was whether the traditional 24-hour convenience store model is still viable given labor costs, safety, and shifting con- sumer patterns. The consensus was clear: while safety remains a factor, the 24-hour store continues to serve both operational needs and customer expectations. Samuels strongly defended the model, noting that for Dash In, trust and consistency are critical. “If you’re not open 24 hours and you open late, even 10 minutes, and you’re not ready for the guests, you’re going to lose them because they’re not going to be able to count on you for being open,” he explained.
“ We have a large number of guests that come to us around 5 AM and then that’s the start of the breakfast. And if you’re not open 24 hours and you open late, even 10 minutes, and you’re not ready for the guests, you’re going to lose them because they’re not going to be able to count on you for being
Others echoed the importance of late-night traffic. Hamza reported that third-shift sales at Nouria are “more vibrant, and strong as ever,” largely driven by online ordering, and noted that his company uses overnight hours for stocking and prep work. Sheetz described how his chain had leaned into 24-hour operations post-COVID, with only two stores reducing hours due to safety concerns. Gauthier added a rural perspective, saying St. Romain Oil has “increased staffing across our stores, so all or at least double staff nightly,” with the business case clearly supporting a 24/7 model.
open. So to me, having continuity builds trust and allows the guest to be able to count on us. Mark Samuels , EVP of Convenience Retailing, Dash In/The Wills Group
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