Convenience Store News Launches Outstanding Independents Summit

CHICAGO — Convenience Store News is launching a new one-day virtual event dedicated to educating and celebrating the convenience channel’s single-store owners and small operators. 

Of the 152,255 convenience stores currently serving customers in the United States, 63% are owned by single-store owners or those with less than 10 stores in total. Despite their lead in store count, though, the industry’s smaller players are under increasing pressure. 

That’s partially because the convenience channel’s largest players — those with more than 500 stores — keep expanding. Over the last three years, their ranks have steadily ticked up, going from 21.1% share in 2023 to 21.6% in 2024 to 22.4% this year. Meanwhile, the smaller players’ share has ticked down bit by bit, going from 63.2% to 63.1% to now 63%. 

In spite of their collective power, single-store owners and small chains must work harder than large operators to shield themselves from the impact of ballooning inflation and interest rates, increasing operational costs, and difficulties around labor hiring and retention. 

To help the convenience channel’s small operators not only navigate these challenges, but also elevate their businesses to better compete against large operators, Convenience Store News is launching the Outstanding Independents Summit. All convenience store retailers operating one to 20 stores in the U.S. are eligible to attend this free virtual event on Friday, April 25.