Which convenience store chain is the best?

Oerdin

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So on our recent family trip to Las Vegas we got to see a few different chains of convenience store which you don't normally see in Southern California. First up, ABC stores from Hawaii has expanded big time in the Las Vegas area and they tend to be much larger and have more varied merchandise than competiting stores such as 7-11 or Circle K.

This is an ABC store in Hawaii but the flag ship stores in Las Vegas are very similar.



Driving north on I15 to Las Vegas you will find the largest gas station and convenience store in all of California called Eddie World. My youngest and his cousin both get excited and start demanding we pull over. It is something like a Buck-ee's in Texas in what it offers though honestly I like Buck-ee's better.

Eddie World



Another of Eddie World



I really wish we had Buck-ee's in California.

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If you are in the Pennsylvania area then you know Wawa's is the place to beat.

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What is your favorite or not easily forgettable convenience stores?
 
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Oerdin

Oerdin

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In East Asia the American chain 7-11 takes their co ve ience stores to a whole new level and even localize their offerings to local tastes. They also can be the size of a Walmart.

 
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Oerdin

Oerdin

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This one is not really on the same level and to my knowledge it is only found in Southern California. Alta Dena is a dairy farm which wanted to expand its business in the 1940's and 1950's so they opened small convenience stores shaped like red barns. Originally, the stores only sold dairy products (fresh milk, flavored milks, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, etc... But quickly they expanded theor offerings to become a complete liquor and convenience store. Their unique feature? Drive through convenience stores where you literally drive your car into the barn and then employees grab what ever you want and hand it to you while you sit in your car.

This particular Alta Dena store was built in the 1970's after they dropped the red barn styling. The rest of the concept remains the same though.



It os certainly convenient as you don't even get out of your car, but, it also means the owner also misses out on those profitable impulse purchases where customers see something on the shelf and decide to buy it even though it wasn't on their shopping list.
 
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Oerdin

Oerdin

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This is a different chain but same drive through concept this time in NC.

 
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Oerdin

Oerdin

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Just checking out the quality of the food and the variety of offerings found at a Buck-ee's.

 
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Oerdin

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Lawson Station is a Japanese based convenience store chain. In post WW2 American companies started introducing the convenience store concept to Japan and convenience stores were so strongly associated with the US in Japanese culture that even Japanese based competitors felt their stores had to have American sounding names.

Lawson Station store in Hawaii.

 
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Oerdin

Oerdin

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Korea is another Asian country where convenience stores take it to a whole new level.

 
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Oerdin

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English guy reviews the four largest Japanese convenience store chains.

 
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Oerdin

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This is not really a convenience store but more like a grocery store with a twist. Omega Mart is located at Area 15 in Las Vegas and you actually have to buy tickets to get in it. When we were there last Saturday there was a 6 hour wait to get in.

 

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If you are in the Pennsylvania area then you know Wawa's is the place to beat.



We don't have Wawa's around here. Wrong side of the river, I suppose. It's mostly Rutter's and Sheetz with a few leftover Turkey Hills. Sheetz is probably the best but Rutter's is my traditional favorite. OH, and we have a couple Royal Farms. They have good chicken.
 
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Oerdin

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I have only seen them in Mexico and they seemed pretty standard. What makes them stand out?

 
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Frood

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Back of my ute... Can make a great cuppa coffee, tea, or ice tea quickly, fetch a bucket of healthy snacks like cashews, kippers, biscuits, soups, fruit, and bigger meals, and it's a tenth of the price and not full of shit.