NACS Publishes Primer on Community Impact

ALEXANDRIA, VA – NACS has published a new primer defining 10 key areas of the convenience store business. "How Convenience Stores Operate and Their Contributions to Communities" provides a starting point for retailers who seek to define their businesses before communities groups and addresses issues including jobs, property values, overnight hours, traffic and community engagement.
 
"During zoning hearings, opposition to convenience store permitting — whether for ground-up stores or remodels — often centers on general misperceptions about the value convenience stores deliver to the communities that they serve. This primer addresses these common concerns and helps retailers tell their stories about their commitment to their communities," said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.
 
The primer is the latest deliverable from the NACS reFresh initiative that addresses ongoing industry perceptions by providing convenience retailers with tools to evolve their in-store offer and elevate their image. The reFresh initiative currently focuses on three distinct elements:
The 18-page "How Convenience Stores Work and Their Contributions to Communities" can be downloaded here. Additional topics and updated metrics will be added throughout the year.

The primer is the third in a series of tools developed to help retailers tell the industry’s positive story. Last week, "Building the Business Case for Produce Sales at Convenience Stores" was released by NACS and United Fresh, providing analysis of industry and consumer trends with practical ideas to develop an enhanced produce offering in stores.

In late 2014, NACS also posted more than 100 Ideas 2 Go video segments that showcase exceptional convenience retailing.

NACS will publish two additional toolkits in the coming weeks. 
 

Article provided by:
Jeff Lenard
Vice President, Strategic Industry Initiatives
NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores)
1600 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA  22314
703/518-4272; jlenard@nacsonline.com
 
Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 152,000 stores across the country, posted $696 billion in total sales in 2013, of which $491 billion were motor fuels sales. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,600 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.