Forecourt

Ensuring all employees meet the letter of the law at all times can be a major challenge for busy retailers.

What do you get when you combine the enthusiasm of a young entrepreneur, the food savvy of an established local chef, and a unique concept never tried before in Canada?

Merv Jebb considers himself to be a lucky c-store owner. Since he bought Virden Hi-Way Grocery in Virden, Manitoba two and a half years ago, he’s never had trouble finding or retaining great part-time staff...

Think of any positive shopping experience you’ve had. Its success was likely a result of how easily you found what you were looking for and how long it took to make the purchase. This may seem like retailing 101, but being efficient is an increasingly difficult task in the convenience-gas channel, where customers are extremely time-pressed, and new SKUs constantly flood the market. But one key merchandising tool offers retailers a surefire way to simplify the in-store environment: planograms.

To call the Alcona Esso in Innisfil, Ont. just a gas station or convenience store would be inaccurate. But you also can’t refer to it simply as a lube shop, car wash or drive-thru coffee and doughnut shop, either. Alcona Esso features all of these services, but it’s much more.

Mike Black is no stranger to the car wash and petroleum industry. He co-owns Valet Car Wash, an independent chain of seven wash and three petroleum sites in Southern Ontario...

Already a success in the United States, Esso brought the On the Run brand up north to Canada in 2001, where it has expanded its corporate and franchise store count to more than 450 locations across the country...

Mac’s West uses merchandising strategy to stand out