CStore Decisions - Podcast Details

Shows

CStore DecisionsGreen Valley GroceryAmanda Yaw, director of marketing for Green Valley Grocery talks about the chain's growth plans and areas of focus from foodservice and technology to new-to-industry stores.2025-05-2027 min

CStore DecisionsCountry Fair Celebrates 60 Years, Opens Flagship StoreSteve Seymour and Stacy Kline from Country Fair discuss the chain’s new flagship store, — which is its biggest location and first city market concept — as well as Country Fair’s 60th anniversary year, how the chain is investing in its company culture and its earned wage access program for employees. From the company history to foodservice and technology initiatives to goals for the future, this podcast deep-dives into the Country Fair convenience store chain.2025-04-1738 min

CStore DecisionsH&S Energy & Power MarketWith the second-generation of the family active in management of the company, and fresh off a major acquisition that more than doubles its footprint while adding vertical integration opportunities, H&S Energy has its sights set on continued growth. Today, H&S Energy operates more than 260 stores in California, Oregon and Nevada. The company currently operates under the proprietary banners Power Market, as well as Pinnacle 365, and it’s also an Extra Mile franchisee.2025-03-1745 min

CStore DecisionsMajor Oil Plans 500-Store GrowthMajor Itule, CEO of Major Oil, discusses his plans to grow to more than 500 locations. His new concept includes autonomous Convenience Store Portable Above Ground Stations (CPAGs) that take days to build for a fraction of the cost of a traditional convenience store. With the first station opening later this year, he aspires to introduce five to 10 locations per month in 2026. Learn the ins and outs of the unique concept, how it's constructed, how the technology works, the offerings inside the store and the vision behind the new concept.2025-02-1445 min

CStore DecisionsChestnut Market Talks Retail Is Detail, Store Remodels, Foodservice, Loyalty And So Much MoreIt’s been five years since Chestnut Petroleum Distributors began aligning its fleet of stores under the Chestnut Market banner. Now, with more visibility in its marketplace, Chestnut Market is mastering execution and consistency with help from its Retail Is Detail program while growing through remodels and new store builds. It’s also making bold strides with a stronger focus on food and the imminent launch of its new mobile app and loyalty program. Today, the chain operates approximately 75 company-operated convenience stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and it’s also a major distributor for Exxon Mobil, Shell, bp, Gu...2025-01-161h 07

CStore DecisionsTriumph Energy Updates Sites, Tunes Operations and Sharpens Execution as it Works to Create a Cohesive Experience Across StoresConvenience store chain Triumph Energy is elevating its execution for 2025, rolling out new programs and creating a cohesive experience for customers from its store design to its offerings.2024-12-1942 min

Postgres FMCompressionNikolay and Michael discuss compression in Postgres — what's available natively, newer algorithms in recent versions, and several extensions with compression features. Here are some links to things they mentioned:wal_compression https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/runtime-config-wal.html#GUC-WAL-COMPRESSIONOur episode on WAL and checkpoint tuning https://postgres.fm/episodes/wal-and-checkpoint-tuningSynthetic wal_compression and streaming replication wal size test https://gitlab.com/postgres-ai/postgresql-consulting/tests-and-benchmarks/-/issues/11default_toast_compression https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/runtime-config-client.html#GUC-DEFAULT-TOAST-COMPRESSION ZFS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZFSOur episode on TOAST https://postgres.fm/episodes/toastOn compression of ever...2024-07-2645 min

Culture of ConvenienceEpisode 0124 | An Interview with Frank BeardIn 2016, Frank Beard spent 30 days eating exclusively at convenience stores – breakfast lunch and dinner. Ever since then, Frank has been extremely passionate about convenience stores. In this info-packed episode, Jeff Kahler speaks with Frank about his cstore diet, EV charging stations, autonomous check-out, and measuring success. What is your go-to convenience store food order? We want to know! Share your thoughts on this episode in the comments at: https://www.cultureofconvenience.com/ or email Producer@CultureofConvenience.com.2023-10-1054 min

BoomATXBoomATX Epidose #44 - Kevin Smartt - TXB (Texas Born) CEOOn this convenient episode of BoomATX Kevin Smartt joins Glenn and Lee to talka bout all things convenient stores, gas stations, quicky marts and filling station. As the CEO of the recently rebranded TXB (Texas Born) convenience store, Kevin has done an incredible job of standing out from the competition.From their HQ in Spicewood, the TXB crew has created a one of kind convenient shopping experience with high quality fresh food options, a best in class customer loyalty rewards app, great TXB merch, bit coin ATMs, a plethora of gas pumps and E...2023-08-221h 01

Postgres FMReal-time analyticsNikolay and Michael discuss real-time analytics — what it means, what the options are, and some tips if you're trying to implement it within Postgres. Here are links to a few things we mentioned: Loose index scan / skip scan with recursive CTE (wiki)Zheap (wiki)cstore_fdw (now part of Citus)Timescale compression docsHydra founders interview (on Postgres TV)Materialised views episode pg_ivmTimescale continuous aggregates docsClickhouseSnowflakeReplication episodeTimescale bottomless storage on S3 (blog post)pg_partmanQuerying Postgres from DuckDB (blog post)Heap blog (filter by “Engineering”)Incremental View Maintenance (wiki)PostgreSQL HyperLogLog Faster counting (by Joe Nelson on the Cit...2023-02-1734 min

CStore DecisionsSocial Media Awards Podcast 2023CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte and Seth Bridges, founder of Rival IQ, discuss the 2023 Social Media Awards. For the third year in a row, Kwik Trip claimed the top spot as the overall winner across platforms. Listen for more on which chains took first and second place on the various platforms. New this year, the social media awards include TikTok, in addition to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Bridges details what this year's winners did well, and the trends ahead for social media in 2023. Hint: C-store retailers should consider joining TikTok, if they're not already active on the popular...2023-01-0649 min

CStore DecisionsWinning the Last Mile and Boosting Online SalesThis month, CStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with Elie Y.Katz, President and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS) to dicuss retail trends, including e-commerce, winning the battle for the last mile and expanding a loyalty program. With vast retail industry knowledge gained from having owned over a dozen retail establishments, Elie has refined insight into the mindset and needs of the retail business owner. Elie coordinated the creation of the NRSPoint of Sale (POS) system and NRS PAY merchant services, combined with a loyalty and rewards network for IDT’s five million-plus customers.2022-06-1323 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Christy PatientErin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions, speaks with Christy Patient, regional director of operations at Circle K, co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Council and co-chair of the Women’s Council, about her experiences as a woman in business.2022-05-0231 min

CStore DecisionsTracking Customer Trends With Elie KatzCStore Decisions Editor John Lofstock speaks with Elie Katz, President and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS) about the trends he is seeing in the retail marketplace. With vast retail industry knowledge gained from having owned over a dozen retail establishments, Elie has refined insight into the mindset and needs of the retail business owner. Elie coordinated the creation of the NRSPoint of Sale (POS) system and NRS PAY merchant services, combined with a loyalty and rewards network for IDT’s 5 million+ customers.2022-03-1123 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Joy AlmekiesErin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions, speaks with Joy Almekies, senior director of food services, Global Partners about her experiences as a Gen X woman in the convenience store industry.2022-03-0823 min

Shelf ConfidenceWhat Safe Shop Certified means to High'sEvery retailer claims to have the cleanest space, tastiest sandwich and best customer service, but how do consumers know? Meghan Mattern and Michele Truelove of High's convenience stores join the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association to share how they became Safe Shop Certified. The third-party certified, 10-point checklist of safety and sanitation measures is a new program that recognizes retailers for high standards. Shelf Confidence also welcomes John Lofstock, editor of CStore Decisions, to discuss how and why the program started. To learn more, visit safeshopassured.com or email John at jlofstock@wtwhmedia.com.If you...2022-02-1531 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Kendra MeyerCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Kendra Meyer, the vice president of real estate development for Casey's, to learn more about her experiences as a millennial woman in the workforce.2022-01-3114 min

CStore Decisions2022 Social Media Awards PodcastCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte and Seth Bridges, founder and head of product for Rival IQ, discuss the 2022 Social Media Awards. Bridges explains the methodology behind the awards and what the winners are doing well. He also shares best practices on social media for retailers for the year ahead.2022-01-0645 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Amanda ShymanskiCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Amanda Shymanski, digital marketing & advertising manager for QuickChek. Shymanski shares her experiences as a woman in business and what she wishes she knew when she was first starting out.2021-12-2232 min

CStore DecisionsKeeping Pace With Continuous Regulatory Change at Local, State & Federal Levels.Thomas Mulloy, senior editor with CBDRetailTrends.com and CStore Decisions magazine, welcomes Jeff Ragovin, chief commercial officer with Fyllo, a company whose mission is providing compliance-first solutions for highly regulated industries. Ragovin discusses the difficulties for CBD manufacturers and retailers in navigating a continually shifting regulatory landscape.2021-12-0633 min

CStore DecisionsThe Impact of Hispanic Shoppers on Convenience RetailJohn Lofstock, editor of CStore Decisions and executive director of the National Advisory Group (NAG), speaks with Horacio Gavilán, of the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC); and Suzy Silliman, of National Retail Solutions (NRS), about the growing impact Hispanic shoppers are having on the convenience store market.2021-11-2335 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Carly LaBeauErin Del Conte, executive editor with CStore Decisions, speaks with Carly LaBeau, retail accounting administrator for FriendShip Stores and Beck Suppliers. A millennial, LaBeau talks about her experiences in the c-store industry as she celebrates her 11th anniversary with FriendShip, as well as FriendShip’s culture of rewarding employees.2021-11-2220 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women In Convenience Featuring Polly FlinnCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Polly Flinn, president of GetGo and executive vice president of Giant Eagle. Flinn has seen the convenience store industry evolve over the years. Today, more businesses are becoming more accepting of different styles and working to call in more voices. Flinn shares some of her experiences over her more than 25-year career and offers advice to the younger generation.2021-08-2717 min

CStore DecisionsMike Kostyo Talks Food and Delivery TrendsCStore Decisions Editor-in-Chief John Lofstock and Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speak with Datassential Trendologist Mike Kostyo about food and delivery trends.2021-08-2041 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience Featuring Sandy DeelCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Sandy Deel, director of HR services and benefits for Thorntons Inc., to learn more about Deel's experiences as a Gen X woman in the convenience store industry. Deel discusses how things have changed since the era of power suits, and how having a mentor helped her navigate her career, as well as advice for the younger generation. This podcast is sponsored by Bic.2021-07-3017 min

CStore DecisionsCStore Talks With Candice ClarkCandice Clark, CFO of Clipper Petroleum, talks with Erin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions about her experiences as a women in the convenience store industry, and the importance of creating environments that welcome a more diverse workforce.2021-06-2823 min

CStore DecisionsPilot Flying J's Tyler Tanaka on mobile apps, contactless payments, drive-thrus, and morePilot Flying J was recently recognized in CStore Decisions' 2021 Tech Innovation Awards for their work with contactless payments. To learn more, Erin Del Conte and Frank Beard reached out to Tyler Tanaka—the vice president of digital and loyalty marketing at Pilot Flying J. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including why Pilot Flying J is leaning-in on mobile app strategies, contactless payments, and even drive-thrus. If you missed our coverage of the 2021 Tech Innovation Awards, be sure to click the link below: https://cstoredecisions.com/2021/05/12/2021-tech-innovation-awards/2021-06-1138 min

CStore DecisionsPatrick Raycroft on EV charging and what's next now that the outdoor EMV deadline has passedWhat's next for convenience retailers now that the outdoor EMV deadline has passed, and what should they consider when thinking about the business case for EV charging? Patrick Raycroft, W. Capra Consulting Group's convenience and energy vertical lead, joins Erin and Frank in this episode of CStore Decisions Live. Topics include: - What the EMV deadline means for retailers - Point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization - The challenges retailers face with EV charging - Why EV charging makes sense for some retailers but not others - And much more... Click below to read Raycroft's latest article, "What Comes After...2021-05-2555 min

CStore DecisionsConversations With Women in Convenience_ Kelsey CapellinoCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte talks with Kelsey Capellino, category manager for United Pacific. Capellino, talks about the challenges of being a millennial woman in the workforce. Kelsey and Erin discuss generational differences in finding one's voice as a woman in business as well as navigating the pressures of social media, balancing family and work, expectations, having difficult conversations and setting boundaries.2021-05-1424 min

Data Engineering PodcastBuilding Your Data Warehouse On Top Of PostgreSQLSummary There is a lot of attention on the database market and cloud data warehouses. While they provide a measure of convenience, they also require you to sacrifice a certain amount of control over your data. If you want to build a warehouse that gives you both control and flexibility then you might consider building on top of the venerable PostgreSQL project. In this episode Thomas Richter and Joshua Drake share their advice on how to build a production ready data warehouse with Postgres. Announcements Hello and welcome to the Data Engineering Podcast, the...2021-05-141h 15