Armed With Learnings, 7-Eleven Opens Its Fifth Evolution Store

IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc. opened its newest Evolution store in the Lake Highlands area of northeast Dallas.

Located at 9750 Walnut Hill Lane at the corner of Audelia Road, it is the second Evolution store in Dallas and the fifth in the United States.

The new store features the second Laredo Taco Co. quick-serve restaurant in Dallas, as well as self-serve, bean-to-cup coffee and espresso via touchscreen ordering; cookies and croissants baked in-store daily; a wide selection of organic, natural and better-for-you items; an extensive wine selection; and more.

Lake Highlands native, mixed-media painter and artist Mariell Guzman — whose Mexican heritage influences her art, which uses bright, rich colors and whimsical, fun designs reflect the energy of the neighborhood — helped create a unique band personality for the store and the neighborhood, according to the Irving-based convenience retailer. The location features two larger-than-life murals painted by Guzma, both inside and outdoors on the north side of the store. The exterior mural is visible from Walnut Hill and suitable for selfies and social media posts, 7-Eleven added.

7-Eleven's Evolution stores serve as experiential testing grounds where customers can try and buy its latest innovations in revolutionary new store formats. Three other Evolution stores opened this year in New York City, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. More Evolution stores are expected to open in 2021.

"We have learned a lot since we opened our first Evolution store in early 2019, most importantly, that convenience shoppers love the concept and its unique product mix," said Chris Tanco, 7-Eleven executive vice president and chief operating officer. "The Sylvan | Thirty store wildly exceeded our expectations, with sales three times what we originally projected. We've learned what resonates with customers and already incorporated our learnings into new and existing 7-Eleven stores across the system."

The other innovative platforms available at the store include:

• An expanded self-serve hot beverage bar, with bean-to-cup coffee and espresso, brewed after being ordered from a touchscreen;
• Customizable, self-serve novelty beverages on tap, such as nitro cold brew, premium teas, aguas frescas, frozen coffee Slurpee Nitro drinks, blended smoothies with real fruit, and flavored sparkling water;
• An expanded selection of award-winning domestic and international wines;
• A walk-in beer cooler with curated selection of craft and local beers, popular imports and top-selling big brand beer;
• Cookies, croissants and more baked in-store daily; and
• Digital initiatives that enhance the shopping experience, including mobile checkout technology, which allows customers to skip the checkout line and pay for their non-age-restricted purchases on their smartphones. Additionally, the 7NOW delivery app allows customers to have their favorite items like fresh food, beverages, snacks, groceries and household products delivered straight to their door or available for pickup by ordering and paying ahead of time.

"7-Eleven continues to push boundaries and try new solutions to answer customers' needs," Tanco said. "We have been ahead of the game with digital technology, specifically with contactless payments, home delivery and loyalty programs. That has proven particularly important now as we continue to navigate the pandemic. The shopping experience will never stop evolving, and we are laser-focused on our bright future serving customers."

7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 71,800 stores in 17 countries, including 12,000 in North America.