Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Launches C-store Format

DALLAS -- Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants Inc. is launching a new effort to cut operator costs with a non-traditional offering that will enable franchisees to open locations in convenience stores, according to a report by FastCasual.com.

“More and more convenience store owners are looking for ways to supplement their fuel income. These owners want national chains to improve their visibility and for many, Dickey’s is the perfect fit,” said Daniel Sibley, the company’s director of construction. “With our new and existing owner/operators' wallets in mind, we are taking advantage of that desire, opening Dickey’s up to endless opportunities.”

There are already seven convenience store locations nationwide, and Dickey’s hopes to double that number by the end of 2010, the report stated. The cost to open a convenience store location is as little at $28,000 in some cases, Sibley said.

“We can work extremely fast in this format, cutting our project timeline in half to get profits in the hands of our owners quickly. Also, with sub-six-figure conversion costs, oftentimes the owner will self finance, eliminating the time spent waiting on a loan to close,” Sibley said. “For example, we just opened a Dickey’s in this format for only $34,000 in less than 30 days -- and that total included his franchise fee.”