On a quick trip to a big-box office supply store recently, I found myself in the travel section, where laptop bags and neck pillows had been demoted to a hidden nook, and buy-online-pickup-in-store fulfilment racks were front and center. Walking into many retail stores these days, I feel like I’ve mistakenly entered a warehouse. Now, the back of the house is the front of the house, and it’s all a bit off-putting for those of us who still prefer to shop in person.

I love popping into convenience stores—compact, welcoming and bringing their A game.

So, I love popping into convenience stores—compact, welcoming and bringing their A game. At Sheetz at 13039 Balls Ford Road in Manassas, Virginia, I noted the drive-thru window I’d overlooked last year on a pre-pandemic visit. I asked the clerk who scanned the Sheetz app barcode on my phone for my MTO sandwich if the drive-thru was new—and if it was busy. He shared that his store is one of the few designed for drive-thru from the beginning, and with a courteous, “Yes, ma’am,” he told me that the window is definitely popular.

And there’s the newly rebranded 7-Eleven (formerly APlus with Sunoco on the forecourt) at 4647 West Ox Road in Fairfax, Virginia. This is home to the Laredo Taco foodservice concept featured in our December 2020 issue. The food is terrific, and the team members are super-friendly. This trip, the carwash got my attention—its neon-inspired interior lights cycled through red, green and blue, cheering up a cold winter night.

Another retailer undergoing a spiff-up is GPM Investments, featured in this month’s issue. GPM has been growing at a fast clip and is now focusing on unifying its regional brands with a new prototype that includes remodeled store interiors, new forecourt canopies and an overarching theme for each distinct store that still retains the character and integrity of each brand.

These are just a few examples of retailers making the best of challenging times. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the road—or in the air—again one day soon.

Be well, my friends.