3. T
here are plenty of fun things to
doinAlbuquerque.Andnowyou
can add visiting the new Alon
Brands 7-Eleven to that list.
With nearly 300 conve-
nience stores in central and
West Texas and New Mexico,
we are the largest domestic
7-Elevenlicenseeinthecountry.
Whileweenjoyaformidablepresenceinthe
aforementioned markets, we also see a con-
venience world that is rapidly changing.
Our latest store, a 4,503-square-foot fa-
cility,isuniqueandtakesusnotonlyoutside
the norm of 7-Eleven locations but also out-
side of the industry norm.
To arrive at this model in Rio Rancho,
N.M., we worked closely with Jason Mi-
chael and Bruce McGovert of Advancement
Branding. The result is an inviting, modern
designthatmeetstheneedsofthehigh-den-
sity Rio Rancho populace.
Our legacy network features sites that
typically are 2,400 square feet. More re-
cently, we launched a larger format running
3,500 square feet, but despite the nearly
50% increase in square footage, it did not
provide us sufficient capacity for rolling out
a customized foodservice area with in-store
seating.
Therefore,weembarkedonalargerfloor
plan.AlonexecutivesandtheAdvancement
Branding team undertook an exhaustive
process to determine what kind of state-
ment we wanted to make with this site. We
settled on a “playful” theme that would be
3 csp JUNE 2015
A
C
D
E
F B
A. Name Teekay
Ddeliatis dolorum
vel ipit dolorrum ta
dolecto Product Name
Teekay Here Quovelis
sum qui dolorenient
Ddeliatis quam, officto
taspel dolorum vel ipit
dolorrum ta dolec.
B. Name Teekay
Sum qui dolorenient
Ddeliatis dolorum
volo eaquisciur auta
Product Name Teekay
Here Quovelis la nones
magnisc ipsam, cum
estiamus.
C. Name Teekay
Ddeliatis dolorum
vel ipit dolorrum
ta dolecto sum qui
dolorenient Ddeliatis
dolorum vel ipit dolo
rrum volo eaquisciur
Product Name Teekay
Here Quovelis quam.
D. Name Teekay
Sum qui dolorenient
Product Name
Teekay Here Quovelis
molumquam quam,
officto taspel dolorum
la nones magnisc
ipsam, cum estiamus.
E. Name Teekay
Sum qui dolorenient
vel ipit dolo rrum
volo eaquisciur auta
Product Name
Teekay, cum estiamus.
F. Name Teekay
Sum qui dolorenient
Product Name
Teekay Here Quovelis
vel ipit dolo rrum
volo eaquisciur auta
tio offictorro vid
molumquam quam,
officto taspel dolorum.
4. 4 csp JUNE 2015
a radical change from anything we saw be-
ing built in the marketplace. We wanted to
be provocative and create an entertaining
aspect that would drive repeat business and
create a hubbub in the community. Status
quo was the safe choice, but it wasn’t the
correct one.
In the Zones
Our concept is anchored in destination
zones, accented by bold colors, catchy
graphics and custom signage. The foodser-
vice and wine areas are set apart with floor
tiles different from those in the center store.
And there is a drive aisle straight to the
full-service food offerings.
It is no secret that foodservice—notably
fresh and customized—is rapidly becoming
an industry necessity if we are to grow and
remain relevant. Toward that end, we have
created customized zones that play to cus-
tomers’ desire to quench their thirst for hot
or cold beverages, and also cater to their de-
sire for indulgence.
Consider:
eXpresso: Our barista features custom-
ized, made-to-order espresso, cappuccino,
lattes and fresh fruit smoothies. This is our
first foray into expanded full-service food
andbeverage,andwewillcarefullyevaluate
this new destination and its market-basket
potential. To augment our MTO drinks, we
have positioned it adjacent to our “bakery”
of fresh-baked goods and pastries, as well as
hot sandwiches, with the beverage of their
choice. Exclusive to this store, we will debut
cappuccino in an edible cup.
ABevyofBeverages:Whatelsewouldyou
expect from a 7-Eleven other than 24 heads
of your favorite fountain drinks, six variet-
ies of Slurpee (including our new summer
flavor, Lemon Ice) and freshly brewed Lip-
ton Iced Tea? From a small (16-ounce) to
the thirst-busting Double Gulp (64-ounce),
there is a cup to meet everyone’s needs.
The Grape Escape: More than 225 bottles
are displayed in a wooden floor-to-ceiling
winerack.Builtintothewallaretwomini-re-
frigerators carrying all your favorite chilled
white wines. There are more choices and
more price points—more than enough for
the discerning wine drinker. Employing a
rock wall and a wooden rack, we saw an op-
portunity to invoke the idea of an old-fash-
ioned wine cellar. The Rio Rancho area was
underserviced in quality wines, and our
range is extensive, from the value-priced
Yosemite Road to some of the best Califor-
nia varietals.
Be Hoppy: Our 28-degree chilled self-
serve beer cooler is replete with popular na-
tional brands and local craft selections.
Chill: An 11-door cooler and a 6-foot
back-filled open-air dairy case round out
our beverage selections, including our new
proprietary water, Adva by Alon.
Indulge: How many retailers feature
their own proprietary ice cream? We love
icecreamandaregivingmarqueetreatment
to 7-Select’s new Premium Ice Cream pints
Caption Teekay XXX XXX keep at one line
Caption Teekay xxx xxxx keep at one line
5. and the value-priced 7-Select line.
At Your Service: Our checkout backbar
displays 12 feet of cigarettes, OTP and a
diverse array of e-cigarettes and vape prod-
ucts. Because the store has a full liquor
license, we carry an extensive selection
of spirits in large bottles and miniatures
housed in a sleek, ultra-modern illuminat-
edglassfixture.Thefrontcounterfeaturesa
built-inopen-aircoolerforlast-minutedrink
temptations and a full array of confections.
Adding Fun
Our latest store targets a different kind of
customer than that of most convenience
stores. Ours is an affluent neighborhood
that is also bustling with commuters head-
ingintoAlbuquerqueandmedicalpersonnel
fromanearbyhospital.Tomeettheneedsof
adiverseconsumerbase,everyzoneoffersa
blend of high-quality private-label products
and premium brands.
As much as our store focuses on prod-
ucts, we’re equally concerned about the
customer experience and creating a pleas-
ing aesthetic. When you walk in, look up:
You’llfindapanoramicellipsethatencircles
the 22-foot ceiling. And the open-grid work
and “Big Ass Fan” add to the spacious and
inviting feel.
At Alon, we have long embraced a phi-
losophy of “Fresh-Fast-Friendly” across our
existing network. We have succeeded, as
evidenced by our high CleanTeam scores.
(CleanTeam is a quarterly inspection by a
third party that evaluates stores on custom-
erserviceandcleanliness).Whatwewanted
to add here is a fourth dimension: fun. This
store brings it all together.
Outside,theimpressivecanopyandfore-
court features 16 fueling positions and Alon
Brands’ first site with E85. Guests can enjoy
their favorite fresh sandwich and dispensed
drink at the outdoor patio adjacent to the
store.
Butit’sinsidewheremostoftheactionis.
We believe the playful tone creates a buzz in
the marketplace. We truly expect this to be a
destination and the template for future new
builds.Concurrently,AlonBrandsisremod-
elingitsother23storesinAlbuquerqueusing
design elements from this store.
We expect our guests will find this lo-
cation modern, edgy and colorful, inviting
and innovative, with a great blend of trusted
brands and a robust private-label selection
they can purchase only at Alon.
In a city known for its Balloon Festival,
Alon Brands has soared to new heights.
Jonathan Ketchum has been senior vice presi-
dentofretailforAlonBrandssince2010.Reach
him at jketchum@scstores.com.
Wetrulyexpect
thisstoretobe
adestination
andthetemplatefor
futurenewbuilds.
