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{{short description|Small store that stocks a range of everyday items}}
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[[File:Convenience store interior.jpg|thumb|Interior of a Japanese [[Seven-Eleven Japan|7-Eleven]] convenience store (2014)]]
[[File:Corner Bodega (48213980756).jpg|thumb|A typical [[Bodega (store)|bodega]] in New York City (2019)]]
A '''convenience store''', '''convenience shop''', '''bakkal''', '''bodega''', '''corner store''', '''corner shop''', '''superette''' or '''mini-mart''' is a small [[retail]] store that stocks a range of everyday items such as [[convenience food]], [[groceries]], [[beverages]], [[tobacco product]]s, [[lottery ticket]]s, [[over-the-counter drug]]s, [[toiletries]], [[newspaper]]s and [[magazine]]s under one roof.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convenience%20store|title=Definition of convenience store |website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="smallbusiness.chron.com">{{Cite news|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/items-sell-convenience-store-13436.html|title=Items to Sell in a Convenience Store|access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cstoreproductsonline.com/search/product/category/health-and-beauty-care-71/type/product|title=Search|website=CS Products|access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.csnews.com/product-categories/other-merchandise-services/7-eleven-simplifies-newspaper-category|title=7-Eleven Simplifies the Newspaper Category|date=3 July 2014|newspaper=Convenience Store News|access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref>

In some [[jurisdiction]]s, convenience stores (such as [[off-licence]]s in the UK) are licensed to sell [[alcoholic drink]]s, although many other jurisdictions limit such beverages to those with relatively low alcohol content, like [[beer]] and [[wine]]. The stores may also offer [[money order]] and [[wire transfer]] services, along with the use of a [[fax|fax machine]] or [[photocopier]] for a small per-copy cost. Some also sell tickets or recharge smart cards, e.g. [[Opus card]]s in [[Montreal]], Canada, or include a small [[Delicatessen|deli]].<ref>{{cite web|title=List of authorized retailers|url=http://www.stm.info/en/info/fares/list-authorized-retailers|website=Société de transport de Montréal|language=en|access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref> They differ from [[general store]]s and village shops in that they are not in a [[rural area|rural]] location and are used as a convenient (hence their common name) supplement to larger stores.

A convenience store may be part of a [[Filling station|gas/petrol station]], so customers can purchase goods while [[Filling station|refuelling]] their vehicle.<ref name="smallbusiness.chron.com"/> It may be located alongside a busy road, in an [[urban area]], near a [[railway station|railway or railroad station]] or other transport hub. In some countries, convenience stores have long [[shopping hours]] and some remain open 24 hours.

Convenience stores often charge significantly higher prices than conventional [[grocery store]]s or [[supermarket]]s, as they buy smaller quantities of [[inventory]] at higher per-unit prices from [[Wholesaling|wholesalers]]. Customers benefit from their longer opening hours, more convenient and greater number of locations and shorter cashier lines.<ref>''Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation'' By Amy Brown</ref>

==Terminology==
A convenience store may also be called a [[Bodega (store)|bodega]] (New York City), '''carry out''', cold store, corner shop, '''corner store''' (many parts of English-speaking Canada and New England), '''mini-market''', [[mini-mart]], party store ([[Michigan]]), [[delicatessen#Australia|deli]] or [[milk bar]] (Australia), [[Dairy (store)|dairy]] (New Zealand), '''superette''' (France, New Zealand, parts of Canada, and in parts of the US), a [[späti]] (from 'spätkauf' (lit. 'buy-late') in Germany, a '''bakkal''' in Turkey, a '''''konbini'''''  in Japan, based on the English loanword 'convenience', '''''dépanneur''''' or '''''dep''''' (used in Canada, primarily [[Quebec]], in both English and French.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sciola|first=Al|date=28 June 2022|title=Quebec's corner stores: Why are they called depanneurs?|website=[[Daily Hive]] Montreal |url=https://dailyhive.com/montreal/quebec-why-called-depanneurs|access-date=24 August 2023 }}</ref> It is a [[loanword]] from the French 'troubleshooter').<ref>{{Cite web |title=dépanneur - traduction - Dictionnaire Français-Anglais WordReference.com |url=https://www.wordreference.com/fren/d%C3%A9panneur |access-date=9 January 2023 |website=www.wordreference.com |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tureng - dépanneur - French English Dictionary |url=https://tureng.com/en/french-english/d%C3%A9panneur |access-date=9 January 2023 |website=tureng.com}}</ref>

==Product specialization==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2023}}
[[File:Energy drinks in Thailand.jpg|thumb|Assortment of [[energy drink]]s displayed in a convenience store in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] (2018)]]
[[File:Sheetz Altoona PA.JPG|thumb|right|Interior of a Super Sheetz in [[Altoona, Pennsylvania]] (2009)]]

Various types include, for example, liquor stores ([[off-licence]]s-offices), mini-markets (mini-marts), general stores or party stores. Typically confectionery (sweets, ice cream, soft drinks), lottery tickets, newspapers and magazines are sold, although merchandise varies widely from store to store. Unless the outlet is a [[liquor store]], the range of alcoholic beverages is likely to be limited (i.e. beer and wine) or non-existent. Most stores sell cigarettes and other tobacco products (e.g. [[cigarette papers]], pipe tobacco, [[cigars]] and [[E-cigarette liquids|e-liquid]] for [[e-cigarettes]]). In many North American jurisdictions, tobacco products comprise the greatest portion of gross sales at convenience stores, between 25 percent<ref>{{Cite web|title=2012 Industry Report |url=http://ontariocstores.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CCSA-SOI-2012.pdf |access-date=23 August 2020 |website=Ontario Convenience Stores Association}}</ref> and 35 percent.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cigarettes Generate Big Revenue for Convenience Stores |url=http://tobaccopolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/325.pdf |access-date=23 August 2020 |publisher=Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center}}</ref>

Only food-forward convenience stores invest in their foodservice options to target customers wanting [[breakfast]], dinner, fast food, or [[pizza]]. The retail strategy of [[Wawa (company)|Wawa]], [[Casey's]], [[Buc-ee’s]], and [[Sheetz]] is considered food-forward.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Convenience stores are eating fast-food chains’ breakfast |author1=Amelia Lucas |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/13/convenience-stores-are-eating-fast-food-chains-breakfast.html |date=13 September 2025 |publisher=CNBC}}</ref> A typical convenience store will sell varying degrees of food and grocery supplies, ranging from household products to prepackaged foods like the triangle ''[[British Rail sandwich]]'' and frozen [[burrito]]s. Many convenience shops offer ready-to-eat food, such as breakfast sandwiches and fry-ups. Throughout [[Europe]], it is now common for convenience stores to sell fresh [[bread|French bread]]. A process of freezing [[parbaking|parbaked]] bread allows easy shipment and baking in-store. Some shops have a [[delicatessen]] counter, offering custom-made sandwiches and [[baguette]]s. Others have racks offering fresh delivered or baked [[doughnuts]]. Some convenience stores have a self-service [[microwave oven]] for heating purchased food.

[[Fast food]] items are often available, with stores offering such food either under its owner banner or in partnership with a fast-food chain maintaining a counter in the store. To save space, food is not prepared in the store. Instead, these counters offer a limited menu of items delivered several times a day from a local branch of the restaurant, with items intended to be served hot either kept hot under a warming device or reheated as ordered.

Convenience stores may also sell automobile-related items, such as motor oil, maps and car kits. Often toiletries and other hygiene products are stocked, as well as sanitary products and [[contraception]]. They are found near gasoline and train stations, but also can be stand-alone stores. Stores may carry apparel, home furnishings, CDs, and DVDs. Some stores offer money orders and wire transfer services. They may carry small appliances, as well as other household items such as coolers and backpacks. Convenience stores have also been known to carry candles, stationery, artwork, and crockery.

Convenience stores may be combined with other services, such as general stores and pawn shops, a ticket counter for purchasing railway tickets, [[community post office|a post office counter]], or gasoline pumps. In Asian countries like [[Japan]] or [[Taiwan]], convenience stores are more common because of the higher population density.

Stores often stock [[fast-moving consumer goods]]. Items with a high turnover are preferred over items with a lower sales rate. The smaller convenience stores typically have few perishable items because it is not economically viable to rotate perishables frequently with a low number of staff. Smaller convenience stores also do not generate the business needed to sustain [[shelf life|food spoilage]] rates typical of [[grocery store]]s or [[supermarket]]s. As such, products with a long [[shelf life]] are the rule, unless a product is specifically aimed at attracting customers on the chance they may buy something profitable, too.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

==Differences from supermarkets==
[[File:Familymart sunc^n.eko 02.JPG|thumb|[[Personal care]] products at a [[FamilyMart]] convenience store in [[South Korea]] (2012)]]
Although larger, newer convenience stores may have a wide range of items, the selection is still limited compared to supermarkets, and in many stores only one or two choices are available. Prices in a convenience store are often higher than those at a [[supermarket]], mass merchandise store or auto supply store, as convenience stores order smaller quantities of [[inventory]] at higher per-unit prices from wholesalers. Some convenience stores are similar to corner markets, but often have less variety in food.

Product containers in a convenience store are often smaller with reduced product quantity to allow more products on the store shelves. This reduces the apparent cost differences between full-size packaging in supermarkets. Reduced packaging also reduces waste when a traveller such as a hotel guest does not want to or cannot carry leftover product with them when they depart.

The average U.S. convenience store has a sales area of {{convert|2768|sqft|m2}}. New stores average about {{convert|2800|sqft|m2}} of sales area and about {{convert|1900|sqft|m2}} of non-sales area—a nod to retailers recognising the importance of creating destinations within the store that require additional space—whether coffee islands, food service areas with seating, or financial services kiosks. Convenience stores have expanded their offerings over the last few years, with stores becoming a part-supermarket, restaurant, gas station and even a bank or drug store.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/FactSheets/ScopeofIndustry/Pages/Convenience.aspx|title=Convenience Stores Offer More Convenience – NACS Online – Research – Fact Sheets – Scope of the Industry|access-date=24 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103091433/http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/FactSheets/ScopeofIndustry/Pages/Convenience.aspx|archive-date=3 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the United States, convenience stores are sometimes the only businesses near an [[interstate highway]] exit where drivers can buy any kind of food or drink for miles. Most of the [[profit margin]] from these stores comes from beer, liquor and cigarettes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gross profit margin in convenience stores by product category U.S. 2017 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/887938/convenience-store-profit-margin-us-product-category/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> Although those three categories themselves usually yield lower margins per item, the sales volume in them generally compensates for it.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} Profits per item are much higher on deli items (bags of ice, chicken, etc.), but sales are generally lower. In some countries, convenience stores have longer [[shopping hours]], some being open 24 hours.

==By country==

===Australia===
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2024}}
The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the peak body for Australian convenience stores, defines a convenience store as a "retail business with the primary emphasis placed on providing the public with a convenient location to quickly purchase from an array of consumable products, predominantly food and beverages, services as well as petrol." The product mix includes: food to go, beverages, dispensed/barista coffee, snacks (including confectionery), tobacco, basic groceries, ice, petrol and carwash. Stores may offer services such as ATMs, "click & collect", gas bottle exchange, money transfer and lottery tickets. A key feature of convenience stores is their extended hours of operation. Many are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The majority of convenience stores in Australia are small businesses, being either independently owned or operated under franchise or licence agreement. The industry comprises over 6,000 stores and employs well over 40,000 people as of mid-2018. The Australian convenience channel merchandise sales are valued at $8.4 billion (excluding petrol sales) according to the AACS State of the Industry Report 2017. Australia has a flourishing convenience industry with a number of well-known convenience brands including: [[7-Eleven]], [[Ampol]], [[NightOwl Convenience Stores|NightOwl]], Ezymart, [[BP]], APCO, [[Reddy Express]], [[OTR (convenience store)|OTR]], [[Viva Energy]], [[Freedom Fuels]] and [[Puma Energy]].

===Canada===
[[File:Couchetard convenience store2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Entrance of a Couche-Tard convenience store in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] (2006)]]

[[Alimentation Couche-Tard]] Inc., which operates Couche-Tard, Provi-Soir, Dépanneur 7, [[Circle K]], [[Mac's Convenience Stores|Mac's]], Winks, and [[Becker's]], is the largest convenience store chain in [[Canada]] and receives its products through Core-Mark International, a North American distribution company specializing in fresh convenience.<ref>{{cite web|title=Couche-Tard and Core-Mark to join UGI|url=http://www.canadiangrocer.com/uncategorized/couche-tard-and-core-mark-to-join-ugi-42145|website=Canadian Grocer}}</ref> Another large chain is [[Quickie Convenience Stores|Quickie Mart]] (whose name predates the fictitious "[[Kwik-E-Mart]]" featured on ''[[The Simpsons]]''). The world's largest convenience retailer, [[7-Eleven]], has about 500 Canadian locations from [[British Columbia]] to [[Ontario]]. Worldwide, the highest number of the chain's [[Slurpee]] beverages are sold in [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]] and the city has been awarded the title of the "Slurpee Capital of the World" for many years running.<ref name="SlurpinThePeg">{{cite news |title=Slurpee capital of the world |url=https://winnipegsun.com/2017/07/11/slurpee-capital-of-the-world |work=[[Winnipeg Sun]] |date=11 July 2017}}</ref> Marketing itself as "more than just a convenience store", there are over 260 Hasty Market locations throughout [[Ontario]] and one in [[British Columbia]].

In addition to chain convenience stores, there are also many independently owned convenience stores in Canada.

Convenience stores are also commonly referred to as "corner stores", "mini-marts" or "variety stores" in some regions of Canada. In the French-speaking province of [[Quebec]], a convenience store is known as a "'''dépanneur'''" or "dep" for short, even among some when speaking in English.<ref>[http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/programs/linguistics/faculty/boberg/Articles/n_american_survey/N_American_Survey.htm Faculty: Charles Boberg | Linguistics – McGill University<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318221057/http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/programs/linguistics/faculty/boberg/Articles/n_american_survey/N_American_Survey.htm |date=18 March 2008 }}</ref>

[[File:3951 rue Saint-Antoine Ouest.jpg|thumb|alt=Dep Montreal|Dépanneurs are a common sight in French-speaking Canada, like this one in [[Montreal]] (2016).]]

===Chile===
[[Chile]]an convenience stores are typically found at gas stations in most urban and near-urban areas on highways. Examples include Punto/Pronto (owned by [[Empresas Copec|Copec]]), Spacio 1 ([[Petrobras]], formerly called Tigermarket and On The Run before [[Esso]] Chile was owned by Petrobras), Va y Ven ([[Terpel]]), Upa!, Upita! and Select (from [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]]).

Other brands operating mostly in downtowns and middle- to upper-class neighborhoods are Ok! Market (owned by Unimarc), Big John and [[Oxxo]] (owned by [[FEMSA]]) and some small-scale "minisupermercados" akin to [[mom and pop store]]s.

===Costa Rica===
[[File:Musmanni panaderia en Liberia Guanacaste.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A Musmanni Bakery/Convenience store in [[Liberia, Costa Rica]]]]
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2014}}
In [[Costa Rica]], family-owned and operated convenience stores called ''[[wikt:pulpería|pulperías]]'' have been common since the 1900s, and there are many of those stores in every neighbourhood.

In the 2010s, modern convenience stores were introduced, mainly by the AMPM company. Competitors launched brands such as Musmanni Mini Super (a chain of bakery stores promoted to convenience stores), Vindi (operated by AutoMercado supermarket company) and Fresh Market (operated by AMPM in a format appealing to prosperous neighborhoods).

===Finland===
[[File:R-kioski by Vaasankatu in Harju, Helsinki, Finland, 2021.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[R-Kioski]] in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]]]]
In [[Finland]], convenience stores are referred to as kiosks, except for those found inside service stations, which are referred to simply as stores. The biggest convenience store chain is [[R-Kioski]], with over 560 kiosks across the country, which are all franchise-licensed businesses. There are some independent convenience stores that use the word Kymppi or number 10 in their business name, which is reminiscent of a former large convenience store chain called 10-Kioski, which vanished around the early 2000s. Kymppi is a spoken colloquial word for number 10 ("kymmenen") in Finnish.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Smaller towns often have independent kiosks. Convenience stores at service stations are run by either the station's parent oil company such as [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]] or by either of the two major retail corporations in Finland, [[Kesko]] or [[S Group]]. Virtually all staffed service stations have a small convenience store.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

===France===
In [[France]] chain convenience stores are referred to as {{lang|fr|supérettes}}, implying they are mini-supermarkets. Brands include [[Carrefour City]], [[Groupe Casino|Casino]], Coccimarket, [[Monoprix|Monop']], [[Franprix]], G20, [[Leader Price]] Express, Marché Plus, Sherpa, Sitis, [[Spar (retailer)|Spar]], Utile, and Vival (see ''{{ill|Magasin de proximité|fr|vertical-align=sup}}'').

Some other, independent convenience shops are referred to as ''{{Interlanguage link|Arabe du coin|fr|3=Arabe du coin|vertical-align=sup}}'' – ({{translation|Arab on the corner}}) due to many [[Arabic|Arabic-speaking]] immigrants from Northwest Africa who work in this sector of the economy. These shops often stay open later than the {{lang|fr|épiceries}} or groceries, even on public holidays. Shop owners consider the name [[Anti-Arab racism#France|improper]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Oulamara |first=Aumer |date=2008-02-12 |title=Société : « arabe du coin » ou « berbère du coin » ? |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/le-monde/article/2018/02/12/societe-arabe-du-coin-ou-berbere-du-coin_5996988_4586753.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |work=[[Le Monde]]}}</ref> especially those who come from other ethnic groups, including [[Imazighen]].

===Germany===
[[File:Spätkauf in Berlin-Kreuzberg.jpg|thumb|A [[Spätkauf|Späti]] in [[Kreuzberg|Berlin-Kreuzberg]]]]
[[Berlin]]ers lovingly refer to the small neighbourhood shops with late opening times found throughout the city (often operated by families with immigrant roots, akin to France) as ''Späti'' (translating to "Lat(e)y", derived from ''[[Spätkauf]]'', "late purchase").
 
In [[North Rhine-Westphalia|North Rhine-Westfalia]] people call the same kind of shop either ''[[Kiosk]]'', like the Finnish, (using the word in a way differing from the rest of Germany, where "Kiosk" usually means only stall-like buildings or other very small window-selling shops which are not entered by customers and which sell either newspapers and magazines or snacks and cigarettes, or a combination of these, but no household goods) or ''Trinkhalle'' ("drinking hall"), although they are not pubs, as the name might suggest.

A name used for market stalls and also in some regions for little shops is ''Büdchen'' (from ''Bude'', "stall, hut, room"); where no special local name for them exists, often just the equivalents of "small shop" or "corner shop" are used ("der kleine Laden/ das [[Diminutive|Lädchen]]/ das Lädchen an der Ecke").

Snack shops integrated into petrol stations can also have long opening hours, but in contrast to the neighbourhood ''Späti''-type shops, petrol station shops nowadays are usually part of large retail chains.
[[File:Fotothek df roe-neg 0006456 017 Kundin beim Einkauf.jpg|thumb|A typical "Tante Emma" working in a shop, 1953]]
"{{Interlanguage link|Tante-Emma-Laden|de}}" (aunt-Emma-shop) is used as a nostalgic term for old-fashioned [[general store]]s (typically family owned), the historic predecessors of modern discounters and supermarkets which they were replaced by (similar to [[mom-and-pop]] stores).<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 May 2017 |title=Untranslatable German Words: Tante-Emma-Laden |url=https://blogs.transparent.com/german/untranslatable-german-words-tante-emma-laden/ |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=German Language Blog {{!}} Language and Culture of the German-Speaking World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tante-Emma-Laden – DW – 09/23/2011 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/tante-emma-laden/a-6614060 |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=karenanne |date=10 January 2018 |title=What is a Tante Emma Laden? A Corner Store with a Special History |url=https://germangirlinamerica.com/what-is-a-tante-emma-laden/ |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=A German Girl in America |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Greece===
New-generation convenience stores in Greece represent a growing retail format that blends elements of traditional mini-markets, [[Kiosk|kiosks]], cafés, and supermarkets. These hybrid stores are typically small to medium-sized and offer a wide range of products and services, often operating 24/7. The model has gained significant popularity in urban areas, particularly in cities like [[Thessaloniki]] and [[Athens]], and is expanding nationwide.

Historically, everyday consumer needs in Greece were met by a combination of small kiosks ([[Newsagent's shop|peripteron]]), neighborhood grocery stores, and larger supermarket chains. However, changes in urban lifestyles, consumer preferences for convenience, and increased demand for extended operating hours led to the emergence of a new retail model: the multi-purpose convenience store.

These stores typically combine food and beverage retail (snacks, soft drinks, alcohol, [[Cigarette|cigarettes]]), coffee and takeaway services, packaged goods and basic groceries, personal care items. Occasionally, services such as parcel pick-up/drop-off or bill payments. Most stores follow a self-service layout, modern branding, and emphasize speed, accessibility, and affordability. Most include in-store coffee stations with branded blends.

The rise of this new retail format is best illustrated by brands such as 4all Stores based in Thessaloniki, now operating over 140 locations across Greece. Combines coffee service, mini-market goods, and convenience store items. Known for aggressive franchising and expansion into Athens.

The Greek convenience retail sector has grown substantially in recent years, both in terms of store count and revenue. According to industry estimates the small-format retail sector reached an estimated €5.15 billion turnover in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Μικρή λιανική: Γιατί κλείνουν τα περίπτερα και πληθαίνουν τα καφέ-παντοπωλεία |date=2 February 2025 |url=https://www.ot.gr/2025/02/02/epixeiriseis/mikri-lianiki-giati-kleinoun-ta-periptera-kai-plithainoun-ta-kafe-pantopoleia/ |access-date=7 August 2025}}</ref>

These stores have become a key part of the daily urban routine, especially for younger consumers and working professionals. They have gradually replaced the role of the traditional kiosk (peripteron) and psilikatzidikon, adapting to new lifestyles while maintaining accessibility and affordability.

===India===
In [[India]], "mom-and-pop" convenience stores are called '''''kirana''''' stores and constitute part of the traditional food retail system.<ref name="MRS-Delhi">{{Cite journal |last1=Minten |first1=Bart |last2=Reardon |first2=Thomas |last3=Sutradhar |first3=Rajib |year=2010 |title=Food Prices and Modern Retail: The Case of Delhi |journal=World Development |language=en |volume=38 |issue=12 |pages=1775–1787 |doi=10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.04.002|citeseerx=10.1.1.585.2560 }}</ref> Kirana are typically family-owned stores that operate in fixed locations and carry both basic food and non-food items.<ref name="MRS-Delhi"/>

===Indonesia===
[[File:Alfamart Tanjungpura Pontianak.jpg|thumb|An [[Alfamart]] convenience store in [[Pontianak]], [[Indonesia]]]]
[[File:Indomaret RE Martadinata Jombang.jpg|thumb|An [[Indomaret]] convenience store in [[Jombang, Jombang|Jombang]], Indonesia]]
Supermarket-styled convenience stores in [[Indonesia]] (commonly known as "minimarket") are mostly scattered around the towns. Due to local government restrictions in Indonesia, usually convenience stores may only be built at least {{Convert|500|m|sp=us}} from the nearest traditional market.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jateng.tribunnews.com/2014/10/05/jarak-minimarket-modern-dengan-pasar-tradisional-minimal-500-meter|title=Jarak Minimarket Modern dengan Pasar Tradisional Minimal 500 Meter|website=Tribun Jateng|access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref> This allows traditional markets to continue selling local goods, but also greatly lowers the opportunities for profit by those who seek to build or own a convenience store by reducing the eligibility of property to be developed into a convenience store. This is especially true in small towns and rural areas. As a result, convenience stores in rural areas are often built side-by-side or at maximum within {{Convert|50|m|sp=us}} of each other.

The two major national convenience store chains in Indonesia are [[Indomaret]] and [[Alfamart]], both of which serve almost all areas within the country with around 22,000 and 18,000 stores in 2023, respectively.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alfaria Source (AMRT) Boosts Revenue from Lawson, Buy or Sell? |url=https://english.kontan.co.id/news/alfaria-source-amrt-boosts-revenue-from-lawson-buy-or-sell |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Kontan |date=23 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Foreign chains like [[Family Mart]], [[Circle K]] or [[Lawson (store)|Lawson]], on the other hand, have their stores in big cities and cater to a specific lifestyle instead of focusing on "convenience". To be classified as a convenience store, the store should occupy no more than {{Convert|100|m2|sp=us}} of service area; in some local residences, the limit is {{Convert|250|m2|sp=us}}.

The Indonesian government also regulates the convenience store license process, so it can only be bought by franchisees, using a different name and different brand, or classifying it as [[cafeteria]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.etalasebisnis.com/investasi/1392/ini-persyaratan-waralaba-alfamart-franchise.html|title=Ini Persyaratan Waralaba Alfamart (Alfamart Franchise)|last=PRODUCTION|first=VIMEDIA|date=7 December 2015|newspaper=EtalaseBisnis.com|access-date=20 February 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> A convenience store with a cafeteria license is only allowed to sell a maximum 10% of its service space for non-food/beverages product. This type of convenience store often puts lawn chairs and a desk as a decoy in front of their stores, while offering the same range of products as a holder of a mini market license.

There are also many small neighborhood stores, known as ''[[toko (shop)|toko]] kelontong'' or ''[[warung]]''. Some are sponsored by a network of stores, mostly owned by cigarette companies (such as DRP by [[Djarum]], GGSP by [[Gudang Garam]], KPP by [[KT&G]], or SRC by [[Sampoerna]]) or tech companies (such as Mitra [[Bukalapak]] or Mitra [[Tokopedia]]).

Indomaret and Alfamart itself are also offered as options for online payment methods, offering conveniences of transactions without needing to use internet banking, ATM, or debit and credit cards. Customers will have to select Alfamart or Indomaret as their payment option, and they will have to complete the payment with the store's cashier<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryza |first=Prayogo |date=2016-06-28 |title=Tokopedia Kini Didukung Pembayaran Instan Melalui Gerai Alfamart |url=https://hybrid.co.id/post/tokopedia-kini-didukung-pembayaran-instan-melalui-gerai-alfamart/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Hybrid.co.id |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Israel===
In [[Israel]], a convenience store is often called a makolet (מכלת). Many convenience stores in Israel are open 24/6, and are closed on Saturday for [[Shabbat]].

===Japan===
[[Image:Lawson Haramachikitahara Shop.jpg|thumb|left|A Lawson convenience store in [[Minamisoma, Fukushima]], [[Tōhoku region|Tohoku]], [[Japan]]]]
{{Nihongo|Convenience stores|コンビニエンスストア|konbiniensu sutoa}}, often shortened to {{Nihongo||コンビニ|'''konbini'''}}, developed at a tremendous rate in [[Japan]]. [[7-Eleven]] Japan, while struggling to localize their service in the 1970s to 1980s, evolved its [[point of sale]]-based business, until ultimately, [[Seven & I Holdings Co.]], the parent company of 7-Eleven Japan, acquired 7-Eleven (US) from [[Southland Corporation]] in 1991. Japanese-style convenience stores also heavily influenced those stores in other [[Asia]]n regions or countries, such as [[Mainland China]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], and [[South Korea]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fdfworld.com/top10/165/Top-Ten-Convenience-Stores-Around-the-World|title=Top Ten Convenience Stores Around the World|access-date=30 November 2014|archive-date=7 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507084449/http://www.fdfworld.com/top10/165/Top-Ten-Convenience-Stores-Around-the-World|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Convenience stores rely heavily on the point of sale. Customers' ages and gender, as well as tomorrow's weather forecast, are important data. Stores place all orders online. As store floor space is limited, they must be careful in choosing what brands to sell. In many cases, several stores from the same chain do business in neighboring areas. This strategy makes distribution to each store cheaper, as well as making multiple deliveries per day possible. Generally, food goods are delivered to each store two to five times a day from factories. Since products are delivered as needed, stores do not need large stock areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia19/en/feature/feature01.html|title=NIPPONIA|website=web-japan.org}}</ref>
[[File:Seicomart in Hokkaido.jpg|thumb|A Seicomart in rural [[Hokkaido]]]]
According to the Japan Franchise Association's data for July 2021, there are 55,931 convenience stores in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|last=Michel|first=Patrick St|date=11 October 2021|title=Japan's convenience stores look to the future|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/10/11/business/future-of-convenience-stores/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011024602/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/10/11/business/future-of-convenience-stores/|archive-date=11 October 2021|access-date=11 October 2021|website=[[The Japan Times]]|language=en-US|quote=According to a July report from the Japan Franchise Association, the total number of convenience stores in Japan currently stands at 55,931.}}</ref> 7-Eleven leads the market with 12,467 stores, followed by: [[Lawson (store)|Lawson]] (9,562) and [[FamilyMart]] (7,604). Other operators include [[Circle K Sunkus]] (acquired by Family Mart in 2016; now defunct), [[Daily Yamazaki]], [[Ministop]], [[Ampm|Am/Pm Japan]] (acquired by Family Mart in 2009; now defunct), [[Poplar (convenience store)|Poplar]], Coco Store (acquired by Family Mart in 2015; now defunct) and Seicomart. Many items available in larger supermarkets can be found in Japanese convenience stores, though the selection is usually smaller. As well, the following additional services are also commonly available:
* [[Courier]] and [[mail|postal service]].
* [[Photocopying]] and [[fax]] service.
* [[Automated teller machine]]s.
* Payment service for utilities and other bills and taxes.
* Ticket service for [[concert]]s, [[amusement park|theme parks]], [[airlines]] etc.
* Pre-paid cards for [[cellular phones]].

Some stores also sell charging service for [[electronic money]] and ATM services for [[credit card]] or [[consumer finance]]. Items not commonly sold include: [[Slurpee]]s, [[lottery]] tickets, [[car]] supplies and [[gasoline]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/1301_cvs.html|title=Complete guide to Japanese convenience stores &#124; JAPAN Monthly Web Magazine|access-date=31 January 2021|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414145054/https://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/1301_cvs.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Konbini also offer customers the option of making '''konbini payments''' (often also referred to as just '''konbini'''), an offline payment solution that allows customers without credit or debit cards to make online purchases. A consumer can buy online services or goods, such as video games on [[Steam (service)|Steam]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/616189742840853266|title=steam users in japan :: Help and Tips|website=steamcommunity.com}}</ref> or tickets for events. By selecting konbini as payment method at the checkout, the consumer receives a unique transaction code with an expiration date. Depending on the brand (i.e. 7–11 is slightly different from Family Mart), consumers will have to go to any convenience store and finalise the purchase, which can be either at the cashier or at the kiosk. Multiple providers offer konbini as checkout option for foreign companies selling online in Japan, such as [[Adyen]], Degica and [[Ingenico]] ePayments.

In 1974, Japan had 1,000 convenience stores. In 1996, Japan had 47,000 convenience stores and the number was increasing by 1,500 annually. Peter Landers of the ''[[Associated Press]]'' said that the computerised distribution system allows Japanese convenience stores to stock a wider variety of products, allowing them to be more competitive in the marketplace. Because of this technology and the consequent ease of maintaining the right amount of stock, Japan can support one convenience store for every 2,000 people, while in the United States it is one per 8,000 people. Another contributing factor to the widespread proliferation of convenience stores is that, because Japan has a lower crime rate, store owners are not reluctant to keep stores open at late hours in the night and customers are not reluctant to shop during those times.<ref name="Landersp">Landers, Peter. "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O5c_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=CFYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5174,5376452&dq=wawa+pennsylvania+institution&hl=en Japan has a high-tech take on the convenience store]". ''[[Associated Press]]'' at the ''[[Warsaw Times-Union]]''. Saturday 27 July 1996. 10C. Retrieved from [[Google News]] (14/39) on 1 January 2011.</ref>

=== Kazakhstan ===
In [[Kazakhstan]], convenience stores are often referred to as {{Langx|kk|дүкендер|label=none}} (''dukendеr''), which translates to "stores" or "shops" in Kazakh. Specifically, convenience stores offering a wide range of groceries and everyday items can be {{Langx|kk|күнделікті тауарлар дүкені|label=none}} (''qosymsha dukender''), meaning "daily goods store".

Major convenience store chains like Magnum, Small, Atak, Dostyk, Alser, Ramek, Svetofor, and Maxi dominate the retail landscape, offering a wide variety of products such as groceries, beverages, snacks, and housold essentials. Magnum is one of the largest, known for its affordability and wide selection, with stores across [[Almaty]] and [[Astana]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhazetova |first=Zhanel |date=2025-02-22 |title=Kazakhstan initiates audits of its major entities |url=https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2025-02-22/engk-nknk-kazakhstan-initiates-audits-of-its-major-entities/?utm_campaign=endless_feed |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Kursiv |language=en}}</ref> Small provides a quick shopping experience with a focus on fresh food, while Atak is recognized for its budget-friendly prices and broad range of everyday items. Dostyk stands out for its emphasis on quality and local products, attracting loyal customers. Alser offers a convenient shopping experience with competitive pricing, and Ramek has grown in popularity due to its focus on fresh goods. Svetofor and Maxi cater to customers looking for discounted prices and a variety of options, with Svetofor offering large store formats for more extensive product selections.

===Malaysia===
In [[Malaysia]], '''7-Eleven''' is the market leader in convenience shops, with over 2,000 shops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hmetro.com.my/node/153103|title=7-Eleven buka cawangan ke 2,000|trans-title=7-Eleven opens its 2,000th branches|author=Lizam Ridzuan|language=ms|publisher=Harian Metro|date=20 July 2016|access-date=23 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306151029/https://www.hmetro.com.my/node/153103|archive-date=6 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2016/07/21/7eleven-malaysia-opens-its-2000th-store-in-the-country/|title=7-Eleven Malaysia opens its 2000th store in the country|work=The Star|date=21 July 2016|access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref> Other convenience shops in the country are [[Mynews.com|myNEWS.com]], [[99 Speedmart]], [[KK Super Mart]], Quick and Easy and MyMart (owned by [[Mydin]]). FamilyMart is also found in Malaysia and as of July 2020, has opened its 200th store<ref>{{cite web |title=Family Mart Malaysia |url=https://familymart.com.my/our-stores.html |website=Family Mart Malaysia |access-date=6 December 2019}}</ref> in Malaysia with the goal of opening 1,000 stores by 2025, bringing the 'konbini' concept to Malaysia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japan's FamilyMart eyes 1,000 Malaysian stores by 2025 |url=http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Japan-s-FamilyMart-eyes-1-000-Malaysian-stores-by-2025 |access-date=3 December 2016 |publisher=Nikkei Asian Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203054304/http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Japan-s-FamilyMart-eyes-1-000-Malaysian-stores-by-2025 |archive-date=3 December 2016 }}</ref>

Convenience stores are very popular among Malaysians, especially urban dwellers in [[Kuala Lumpur]] or other populated towns like [[Penang]] where the population density is higher. Its 24/7 policy allows Malaysians to have easy access to necessities or as an alternative hang-out area, especially since Malaysians love to go out for midnight supper at mamaks and eateries that also open late at night, as more and more Malaysians are beginning to work or go out late. The availability of fresh hot food or cold premade food is popular among young workers with less time to prepare food for themselves, as many have irregular work hours, especially in the city. It also eases the burden of families. Many Malaysians also enjoy the seasonal food that these stores provide. These stores can be found almost anywhere, especially in areas with a higher population density, such as city centres, condominiums, apartment complexes, office areas, residential areas, shop lots and petrol stations, although the store density is as high as Taiwan or Japan.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Items sold at such convenience shops usually range from pre-made local food like nasi lemak, onigiri, buns, snacks, toiletries, drinks, a limited amount of alcohol, newspapers, magazines, slushies, cup noodles, ice cream, hot food, [[oden]], game reload and mobile top up cards. Some also have the service of reloading Touch N' Go cards or ATMs. Most have a microwave oven and hot water boiler to heat food. Some have seasonal and limited food, desserts or special imported products and items, like FamilyMart importing strawberry Coca-Cola from Japan.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Malaysia has sundry shops that sell daily items and perishables at lower prices, but unlike convenience shops, they are not open 24/7. Some of these sundry shops also sell traditional herbs and ingredients.

===Mexico===
[[File:OxxoObreraDF.JPG|thumb|left|An Oxxo store]]
[[File:Miscelanea en Xalatlaco.jpg|thumb|200px|A family-run Miscelánea]]
[[Oxxo]] is the largest chain in the country, with more than 15,000 stores around the country. Other convenience stores, such as [[Tiendas Extra]], [[7-Eleven]], [[Super City (store)|SuperCity]], [[ampm]], and [[Circle K]], are also found in [[Mexico]]. The first convenience store in the country, Super 7 (now a 7-Eleven), was opened in 1976 in [[Monterrey]], [[Nuevo León]].{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} There are also some regional chains, like Amigo Express and CB Mas, that operate in [[Comarca Lagunera]], Super Q and El Matador in [[Queretaro]], Coyote in central Mexico, Kiosko in [[Colima]] and some locations in nearby states, and JV in northeastern Mexico. Stores sell fast food like [[coffee]], [[hot dogs]], [[nachos]] and prepaid cellphones between MXN$20 and MXN$500, mainly [[Telcel]] and [[Movistar]], [[newspaper]]s, [[magazines]], and [[Panini Comics|Panini]] products and other novelties.

''Misceláneas'' (literally meaning "place where miscellaneous items are sold" and otherwise called ''tiendas de abarrotes'' (grocery store) in some parts of the country) are smaller, family-run convenience stores often found in central and southern Mexico. They operate in many locations, from rural communities to [[suburban]] residential neighborhoods, usually located in front of or below the family's residence. They often fulfill the role of neighborhood meeting points and places to disseminate community news. While offering a more limited, and sometimes varied, assortment of items than corporate chains, they fill a void in areas where corporations do not operate. Usually they sell homemade snacks such as tortas and sandwiches, made by the owners. They also provide items in smaller quantities than would be offered for sale in larger stores and markets; for example, selling single cigarettes along with full packs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://direccionestrategica.itam.mx/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MIscelaneasOK.doc |title=Las misceláneas en México |author1=Merino, María |author2=Mondragón, Carlos |work=Strategic Direction & Planning, [[Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México]] |language=es |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624053835/http://direccionestrategica.itam.mx/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MIscelaneasOK.doc |archive-date=24 June 2016 }}</ref>

=== Mongolia ===
In [[Mongolia]], convenience shops ([[CU (store)|CU]], [[Circle K]] etc.) are already common and continue to gain popularity, making the market increasingly saturated with retailers. Currently, CU is the market leader, with the largest number of stores and the highest reputation among customers.

=== New Zealand ===
{{see also|Dairy (store)}}
In [[New Zealand]], convenience shops are commonly referred to as dairies and superettes. Dairies in New Zealand are generally independently owned and operated. The use of the term ''dairy'' to describe convenience shops was common in New Zealand by the late 1930s.<ref>{{cite book
|title=The Godzone Dictionary: Of Favourite New Zealand Words and Phrases
|last=Cryer
|first=Max
|author-link=Max Cryer
|page=51
|isbn=978-0908988747
|publisher= Exisle Publishing
|location=[[Auckland]]
|year=2010
}}</ref> Dairies carved out a niche in food retail by keeping longer trading hours than groceries and supermarkets – dairies were exempt from labour laws restricting trading hours and Saturday trading. With the [[Sunday shopping#New Zealand|deregulation of trading hours]] and in the wake of legislation in 1989 prohibiting sales of alcohol by dairies, the distinction between dairies, superettes and groceries has blurred.<ref name="NZLC">{{cite book
 |title        = Alcohol In Our Lives: Curbing the Harm
 |date         = April 2010
 |isbn         = 978-1-877316-91-3
 |publisher    = [[New Zealand Law Commission]]
 |chapter      = 8 New criteria for selling takeaway alcohol
 |page         = 155
 |chapter-url          = http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/2010/04/Publication_154_464_Part_18_Chapter%208%20-%20New%20criteria%20for%20selling%20takeaway%20alcohol.pdf
 |access-date   = 8 January 2012
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130209170959/http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/2010/04/Publication_154_464_Part_18_Chapter%208%20-%20New%20criteria%20for%20selling%20takeaway%20alcohol.pdf
 |archive-date = 9 February 2013
|url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

===Peru===
Convenience stores in [[Peru]] are typically independent corner stores called "bodegas" that include groceries, alcohol, services and phone booths. Other convenience stores are found at gas stations in urban and connecting areas on highways; examples include Listo! (owned by Primax) and Repshop ([[Repsol]]). Recently, {{ill|Tambo+|es|vertical-align=sup}}, owned by [[Corporación Lindley S.A.]], has quickly become the biggest convenience store in the country with 300 stores opened in just two years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elcomercio.pe/economia/dia-1/aviva-competencia-tiendas-conveniencia-noticia-496537|title=Tambo: ¿Cuántos locales tiene ya?|first=Leslie Salas|last=Oblitas|newspaper=El Comercio |date=13 February 2018}}</ref> Mexican-owned [[Oxxo]] has plans to expand to Peru.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elcomercio.pe/economia/negocios/oxxo-llegaria-peru-competir-tambo-noticia-507884|title=¿Oxxo llegaría al Perú para competir contra Tambo+?|first=Redacción|last=EC|newspaper=El Comercio |date=28 March 2018}}</ref>

===Poland===
[[File:Nicponia village shop.jpg|thumb|An [[Eurocash|ABC]] convenience store located in the [[Kociewie|Kocievian]] village of [[Nicponia]], Poland, 2024]]
[[Żabka (convenience store)|Żabka]] is one of the largest convenience stores in Poland. In 2022 [[Jarosław Kaczyński]], leader of the [[Law and Justice]] party, said that the Polish ruling government might buy [[Żabka (convenience store)|Żabka]] convenience store from [[CVC Capital Partners]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-13/poland-eyes-grocery-chain-as-it-takes-back-control-of-economy|title=Poland Eyes Grocery Chain as It Takes Back Control of Economy|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=13 October 2022|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/10/13/poland-could-buy-back-biggest-convenience-store-chain-from-foreign-owners-says-kaczynski/|title=Poland could "buy back" biggest convenience store chain from foreign owners, says Kaczyński|first=Daniel|last=Tilles|date=13 October 2022}}</ref>

===Philippines===
{{See also|Sari-sari store}}

There is a local version of convenience store in the [[Philippines]], called the [[sari-sari store]], that is located on almost every street, corner, residential area, and other public places around the country.

Aside from local convenience stores, other popular international convenience stores are present on almost every street, especially in urban areas. [[7-Eleven]] is the largest convenience store chain in the country. It is run by the Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC). Its first store, located in [[Quezon City]], opened in 1984, and has now approximately 2,285 branches.

There are also many branches of [[Uncle John's (store)|Uncle John's]], operated by [[Robinsons Malls|Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc.]]; [[FamilyMart]], operated and franchised by [[Udenna Corporation]]; and [[All Day Convenience Store]], owned by Filipino entrepreneur and former Philippine Senator, [[Manny Villar]]. [[Lawson (store)|Lawson]], [[Circle-K]] and [[Alfamart]] have also opened stores in the country.

=== Russia ===

[[File:Pyaterochka_new_concept_2019_Moscow_int1.jpg|thumb|left|A typical ''Pyatyorochka'' store interior]]

Major brands of convenience stores in Russia are ''Pyatyorochka'' ("little 5") with over 10,000 shops functioning,<ref>https://www.x5.ru/ru/PublishingImages/Pages/Media/News/Q4_2018_Trading_Update_RUS.pdf Заявление Х5 Group на 4 квартал 2018</ref> ''Monetka'' ("little coin"), "Magnit u doma", "Krasnoe i Beloe" and ''Diksi''.<ref>https://infoline.spb.ru/shop/issledovaniya-rynkov/page.php?ID=160773 Исследования рынков, конец 2010-х</ref> However, Russians may occasionally use the word "supermarket": various convenience store chains used to position themselves as "supermarkets" throughout 1990's, such as now discontinued "Sed'moy Kontinent" (translates as "''the 7th Continent''") company.

''Pyatyorochka'' line of stores has self-checkout tills, as well as ''Perekryostok'' line of stores. Both brands belong to X5 Group and even have a mutually compatible "club card". However, many discounts/sales in both stores require buyers to have "loyalty cards" to unlock the wares' respective discounts.

===Singapore===<!-- This section is linked from [[Convenience shops in Singapore]] -->
{{See also|Mama shop}}
Major convenience shops in [[Singapore]] are [[7-Eleven]] owned by [[Dairy Farm International Holdings]] and Cheers owned by [[NTUC Fairprice]].<ref name=pwc>Price Waterhouse Coopers. (2005/2006). Singapore. ''From Beijing to Budapest: Winning Brands, Winning Formats'', 4, p. 189.</ref> Figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics showed that there are 338 7-Eleven shops and 91 Cheers outlets in 2004.<ref>"Upstart Mini-marts". (22 October 2006). ''The Sunday Times''.</ref> Other convenience shops such as Myshop and One Plus appeared in 1983. Myshop belongs to a Japanese company, and One Plus belongs to Emporium Holdings.<ref>"Convenience Stores Pose Threat to Supermarkets". (23 March 1984). ''[[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]''</ref>

Various reasons unique to Singapore have been given for the popularity of convenience shops. Convenience shops sell a wide range of imported goods, whereas minimarts and provision shops sell local products with a limited range of non-Asian products.<ref name="pwc"/> Convenience shops are situated within [[housing estate]]s, thus reducing consumers' travel time. Most families in Singapore are dual-income families.<ref>Loh, Choon-Min James. (1988). ''The Adoption of A Retailing Innovation in A Newly Industrialising Country: The Modernisation of Local Provision Shops in Singapore''. United Kingdom: The British Library, p. 61.</ref> Since both spouses work, there is greater need for convenience in shopping for daily necessities. The 24-hour opening policy allows convenience shops to reach out to a larger group of consumers. First, the policy caters to the shopping needs of consumers who work shifts or have irregular working hours.<ref>"Can 24-hr marts thrive in S'pore?" (15 May 2005). ''The Straits Times''.</ref> Secondly, the policy caters to the increasing number of Singaporeans who keep late hours. A 2005 economic review by [[PwC]] reported that 54% of Singaporeans stayed up past midnight.<ref>Price Waterhouse Coopers. (2005/2006). Singapore. ''From Beijing to Budapest: Winning Brands, Winning Formats'', 4, p. 193.</ref>

====7-Eleven====
{{Main|7-Eleven}}
[[Image:uspmadeleine1a.jpg|thumb|upright|A 7-Eleven shop under a block of flats]]

7-Eleven began the trend of convenience shops in Singapore when it opened its first shop in 1982 by [[Jardines (company)|Jardines]], under a franchise agreement with Southland Corporation of the United States.<ref name="ReferenceA">"The Business Times reports that in Singapore chains of mini-markets (or convenience shops) have rapidly sprung up to fill the gap between the large supermarkets and the neighbourhood shops (or provision shops). (1984, November 15). ''Business Times Singapore''.</ref> [[DFI Retail Group|Dairy Farm International Holdings]] acquired the chain from Jardines in 1989.<ref>Dairy Farm reviewing 7-Eleven businesses in Singapore and Malaysia ''[[Business Times (Singapore)|Business Times]]'' 12 April 1986</ref>

The number of 7-Eleven outlets continued to increase in 1984 while other chains were having difficulty expanding. One Plus was unable to expand due to the shortage of good sites. The original owners of the Myshop franchise, which had seven outlets, sold out to one of its suppliers due to a lack of demand.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

In 1985, 7-Eleven faced difficulty in finding favourable locations and failed to meet its one-shop-a-month target. The situation improved in 1986 with a new [[Housing & Development Board]] (HDB) tendering system, which allowed 7-Eleven to secure shops without having to bid too high a price.<ref>The 7-Eleven convenience store chain in Singapore, the franchise of which is held by Jardine Matheson, should nearly double its expected rate of opening one new store each month by the end of the year ''Business Times'' 5 November 1986</ref> 7-Eleven shops are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including Sundays and public holidays.<ref>Loh, Choon-Min James. (1988). ''The Adoption of A Retailing Innovation in A Newly Industrialising Country: The Modernisation of Local Provision Shops in Singapore''. United Kingdom: The British Library, p. 34.</ref> This 24/7 policy was seen as the reason that gave 7-Eleven its edge over its competitors.

In 1990, there was a rise in the number of shop thefts in 7-Eleven. The shoplifters were usually teenagers who stole small items such as chocolates, cigarettes and beer.<ref>Convenience shops hit regularly by grabbers ''[[The Straits Times]]'' 4 May 1990</ref> In response to the increase in the number of thefts, 7-Eleven stepped up security measures, which successfully lowered the crime rate by 60%.<ref>Chain stores' anti-crime moves pay off with 60% drop in crime rate ''The Straits Times'' 1 December 1991</ref>

====Cheers====
[[Image:uspmadeleine1cc.jpg|frame|right|Notice posted at Cheers to deter robbery]]
Started in 1999, Cheers is owned by local corporation [[NTUC FairPrice]].<ref>"NTUC Link Pte. Ltd. (2005). Cheers. [Online]. Available: {{cite web|url=http://www.linkpoints.com.sg/linkpoints/merchants/merchant_subdetail.aspx?id%3D73 |title=NTUC LinkPoints |access-date=2007-04-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602095920/http://www.linkpoints.com.sg/linkpoints/merchants/merchant_subdetail.aspx?id=73 |archive-date=2007-06-02 }}"</ref> Cheers has adopted 7-Eleven's 24/7 model and taken similar security measures to prevent cases of shoplifting. Convenience shop owners seeking franchising seem to prefer Cheers over 7-Eleven, probably due to its cheaper franchise fee.<ref>"7-Eleven: Growing and getting closer to you". (19 June 2004). ''The Straits Times''.</ref>

===South Africa===
[[File:Mussa store.JPG|thumb|A spaza shop in Stellenbosch, South Africa.]]
In [[South Africa]]'s black [[township (South Africa)|townships]] ''spaza shops'' sell small goods, often out of the proprietors' homes. However these businesses face competition from large chain stores.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/safrica-retail-spaza-idINL6N0N74GY20140420|title = South Africa's "spaza" shops suffer as big retail rolls in|newspaper = Reuters|date = 20 April 2014}}</ref> Spaza shops owned by immigrants have also become a source of tension in townships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/sahrc-slams-soweto-parliament-spaza-shop-directive-as-xenophobic-20210813|title = SAHRC slams 'Soweto Parliament' spaza shop directive as xenophobic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/south-africas-spaza-shops-how-regulatory-avoidance-harms-informal-workers-130837|title = South Africa's spaza shops: How regulatory avoidance harms informal workers| date=24 February 2020 }}</ref>

In white, [[Indian South Africans|Indian]] and [[Coloureds|Coloured]] areas, the ''corner café,'' (sometimes pronounced as "''caffie'',"<ref>{{Cite web |title=café - DSAE |url=https://dsae.co.za/entry/caf%C3%A9/e01439 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=dsae.co.za}}</ref> also called a ''tea room'' in Durban) is a convenience store. In white areas these were often owned by Southern European migrants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sapeople.com/2018/08/20/trevor-romain-remembering-the-corner-cafe/|title = Trevor Romain: Remembering the Corner Cafe in South Africa|date = 20 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="Rissik 2011 p. 177">{{cite book | last=Rissik | first=D. | title=CultureShock! South Africa: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette | publisher=Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited | series=CultureShock! Series | year=2011 | isbn=978-981-4398-66-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YfOIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA177 | access-date=14 April 2022 | page=177}}</ref> These cafes are being superseded by convenience stores that are part of fuel service stations.<ref name="Nurse Verrijdt 2003 p. 64">{{cite book | last1=Nurse | first1=J. | last2=Verrijdt | first2=C. | title=Laugh it Off Annual: South African Youth Culture | publisher=Double Storey Books | year=2003 | isbn=978-1-919930-44-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4zAXg9lPBcMC&pg=PA64 | access-date=14 April 2022 | page=64}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2015-07-07-the-last-corner-caf-in-cape-towns-city-bowl/|title = The last corner café in Cape Town's city bowl| work=TimesLIVE }}</ref>

===South Korea===
Convenience stores in the [[Republic of Korea]] date to 1982, when [[Lotte Corporation|Lotte]] opened a store in [[Seoul]]. Stores saw growth after the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] with the first 7-Eleven, and even since the 2010s where department stores and marts have struggled. As of the end of 2023, there are about 55,000 convenience stores in South Korea, and in Seoul, it has increased by about four times compared to 15 years ago as of 2021, expanding to the extent that almost every street has convenience stores.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-12/business/industry/The-golden-age-of-convenience-stores-is-over-Heres-whats-tanking-their-sales/2304604|title = The golden age of convenience stores is over. Here's what's tanking their sales.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://koreabizwire.com/number-of-convenience-stores-in-seoul-quadrupled-over-past-15-years-data/242353|title = Number of Convenience Stores in Seoul Quadrupled Over Past 15 Years: Data}}</ref> As of 2024, [[CU (store)|CU]] and [[GS25]] are competing for the first or second place in market share with a slight gap in sales and number of stores, followed by 7-Eleven.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Convenience stores in South Korea - statistics & facts |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/8049/convenience-stores-in-south-korea/#topicOverview}}</ref>

===Taiwan===

Boasting more than 10,000 convenience stores in an area of 35,980&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a population of 23 million, [[Taiwan]] has [[Asia Pacific]]'s and the world's second highest density of convenience stores per person after South Korea: one store per 2,065 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 April 2021 |title=台灣便利商店密集度 全球第二 |url=https://money.udn.com/money/story/8888/5364233 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404074025/https://money.udn.com/money/story/8888/5364233 |archive-date=4 April 2021 |website=經濟日報}}</ref> With 4,665 7-Eleven stores, Taiwan also has the world's highest density of 7-Elevens per person: one store per 4,930 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 May 2008 |title=International Licensing |url=http://www.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/InternationalLicensing/tabid/115/Default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731072739/http://www.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/InternationalLicensing/tabid/115/Default.aspx |archive-date=31 July 2008}}</ref> In [[Taipei]], it is not unusual to see two 7-Elevens across the street or several of them within a few hundred meters of each other.

Taiwan's second largest convenience store chain is [[FamilyMart]] with more than 3,000 locations. Also competing for customers are [[Hi-Life (convenience store)|Hi-Life]], a Taiwanese chain, and [[OK Mart]], a local version of [[Circle K]].

Because they are found everywhere, convenience stores in Taiwan provide services on behalf of financial institutions and government agencies, such as collection of city parking fees, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. Eighty percent of urban household shoppers in Taiwan visit a convenience store each week.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 ACNielsen ShopperTrends |url=https://www.acnielsen.com.tw/news.asp?newsID=82 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051020184027/http://www.acnielsen.com.tw/news.asp?newsID=82 |archive-date=20 October 2005}}</ref>
<gallery class="center" widths="250">
File:7 ELEVEn Outles in Sindian.jpg|With the highest [[7-Eleven]] outlet density in the world, it is not unusual for two 7-Eleven shops to stand face-to-face near the same intersection in [[Taiwan]]. The distance between them might be less than {{Convert|50|m|sp=us}}.
File:A 7 Eleven sits right next to a FamilyMart store in Taipei.jpg|It is also not rare in Taiwan to see two convenience stores right next to each other.
</gallery>

===Turkey===
{{see also|Grocery store}}
[[File:Grocery_store_in_Gölyazı,_Nilüfer.jpg|alt=|thumb|Bakkal in [[Bursa]], [[Turkey]] (2008)|left]]
In [[Turkey]], convenience stores are often referred to as bakkal. Bakkal is a small, traditional retail shop specializing in the sale of [[Non-perishable food|non-perishable]] or semi-fresh food items, [[canned goods]], [[beverages]], and [[Cleaning products|household cleaning products]]. In addition to food and cleaning supplies, many bakkals also offer basic [[personal care products]], [[tobacco]], and sometimes [[Newspaper|newspapers]] or [[Lottery ticket|lottery tickets]].

Bakkals often serve as neighborhood convenience stores. Bakkals are typically [[Family-owned|family-owned and operated]] businesses that provide everyday necessities to residents within a specific neighborhood. Unlike [[Supermarket|supermarkets]], bakkals often allow customers to purchase goods on credit, maintaining informal ledgers known as credit notebooks (veresiye defteri).

Traditionally, the bakkal has held a central place in Turkish neighborhood life, functioning not only as a point of sale but also as a social hub where neighbors meet, converse, and exchange news. The bakkal is often characterized by personal service, familiarity with regular customers, and a strong presence in community life.

In recent decades, the number of bakkals has declined significantly due to the rise of large [[supermarket]] [[chain store|chains]] and [[Discount store|discount]] retailers. These modern competitors benefit from economies of scale, wider product ranges, and lower prices, making it increasingly difficult for small independent bakkals to compete. Urban development, rising rent costs, and changing consumer habits have also contributed to the decline of the traditional bakkal. Despite these challenges, bakkals remain symbolic of Turkey’s small-scale entrepreneurship and continue to operate in many neighborhoods, particularly in less urbanized areas.

===United Kingdom===
{{see also|List of convenience shops in the United Kingdom}}

[[File:Corrie Corner Shop.jpg|thumb|right|A corner shop set from the [[soap opera]] ''[[Coronation Street]]'', depicting a typical British independently owned corner shop in Manchester]]
The corner shop in the United Kingdom grew from the start of the [[Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom|Industrial Revolution]], with large populations moving from the agricultural countryside to newly built model townships and later [[Terraced houses in the United Kingdom|terraced housing]] in towns and cities. Corner shops were locally owned small businesses, started by entrepreneurs who often had other careers prior to establishing, such a trading business. Many well-known high street retail brands, such as [[Marks and Spencer]], [[Sainsbury's]] and latterly [[Tesco]], originated during the [[Victorian era]] as simple, family-owned corner shops.

The name '''corner shop''' originated because such shops are traditionally located on the corner of an intersection.

The reign of the corner shop and the weekly market started to fade post–World War II, with the combination of the personal motor car and the introduction from the 1950s onwards of the American-originated [[supermarket]] format. The market shift in price and convenience led to the establishment of common trading brands operating as virtual [[Franchising|franchise]]s to win back the consumer, including: [[Budgens]], [[Costcutter]], [[Londis (United Kingdom)|Londis]], [[Nisa (retailer)|Nisa]] and [[SPAR]]. There was also a consolidation of some shops under some larger corporate-owned brands, including [[One Stop]].

The primary competition to this privately owned 'corner shop' model came from the network of [[consumer cooperatives]] which were created after the success of that created by the [[Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers]] in 1844. Rather than being owned by individuals, these shops were owned by their customer-members and, owing to their popularity, the number of co-operative shops had reached 1,439 by 1900.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.co-operative.coop/about-us/history|title=Co-op history|website=www.co-operative.coop}}</ref> Co-operatives came about as a response to the problem of [[adulterated food]] which existed at the time, and later they enabled members to buy types of food that they would otherwise be unable to afford. At their peak in the 1950s, consumers' co-operatives accounted for approximately 20%<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5294184.stm|title=Co-op rebrand sees 'divi' return|date=29 August 2006|work=BBC News}}</ref> of the UK grocery market; however with increasing competition this has decreased to around 6% in 2015.

Due to a number of [[mergers]] over the years, the grocery co-operative sector in the UK is now predominately composed of the national [[The Co-operative Group]] and a few large regional co-operative societies such as the [[Midcounties Co-operative]] and [[Scotmid]]. Today, the majority of [[British co-operative movement|food retailing co-operatives societies]] brand their convenience shops as [[Co-op Food]], and together they form the second-largest convenience shop chain in the UK and the largest by number of shops, with one in every UK postal code.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32715723|title=Co-op boss: Group 'let down' by former management|work=BBC News|date=13 May 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Corner Shop, Brandram Rd - geograph.org.uk - 7537514.jpg|thumb|right|A modern British corner shop in [[Lee, London|Lee]], [[Lewisham]]]]
From the late-1960s onwards, many such shops started to be owned by expatriate African-born Indians, expelled from their homelands by the newly independent countries' rulers (see [[Expulsion of Asians from Uganda]]). Under the [[Shops Act 1950]], Sunday trading had been illegal for most traders, with exceptions only allowed for small shops selling perishable items (i.e. milk, bread, butter, fresh meat and vegetables), and most shops that were not [[off licence]]s (i.e. selling alcohol) had to close at 20:00. The [[Sunday Trading Act 1994]] allowed large-format shops over {{Convert|280|m2|sp=us}} in size to open on Sunday for not more than six hours despite several proposals from the citizens to remove restrictions at different times.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |last2=correspondent |first2=Rowena Mason Political |date=2016-02-02 |title=Government revives plans to amend Sunday trading laws |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/02/government-plans-amend-sunday-trading-laws |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Conway |first=Lorraine |date=April 2022 |title=Shop opening hours and Sunday trading |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05522/SN05522.pdf}}</ref>

More recently, due to a combination of competition laws and a lack of large-scale development space, many of the larger retail brands have now developed shop formats based around convenience shop and corner shop scale spaces, including [[Sainsbury's Local]], [[Waitrose & Partners#Convenience shop and little Waitrose|Little Waitrose]] and [[Tesco Express]].

===United States===
[[File:OneStopSign.jpg|thumb|Sign for a convenience store in Pittsburgh]]
In-store convenience store sales grew 2.4%, reaching a record $195.0 billion in 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chainstoreage.com/article/convenience-store-sales-totaled-682-billion-2011/|title=Convenience store sales totaled $682 billion in 2011 {{!}}Chain Store Age|date=4 April 2012|work=Chain Store Age|access-date=4 January 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=4 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104195507/https://www.chainstoreage.com/article/convenience-store-sales-totaled-682-billion-2011/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Combined with $486.9 billion in motor fuels sales, total convenience store sales in 2011 were $681.9 billion, or one out of every 22 dollars of the overall $15.04 trillion U.S. [[gross domestic product]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Press_Releases/2012/Pages/PR040412.aspx|title=Convenience Store Sales Topped $680 Billion in 2011 – NACS Online – Media – Press Releases – 2012|access-date=8 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912024706/http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Press_Releases/2012/Pages/PR040412.aspx|archive-date=12 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In [[New York City]], "[[Bodega (store)|bodega]]" has come to mean any convenience store or deli.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/nyregion/thecity/29bode.html | work=The New York Times | first=Saki | last=Knafo | title=The Classic Bodega Takes a Star Turn | date=29 March 2009}}</ref>

The first chain convenience store in the [[United States]] was opened in [[Dallas, Texas]] in 1927 by the Southland Ice Company, which eventually became [[7-Eleven]], the largest convenience store chain.<ref>{{cite news
 |url         = http://www.japannewsreview.com/business/business/20070712page_id=598
 |title       = 7-Eleven world's largest chain store
 |agency      = Japan News Review
 |date        = 12 July 2007
|access-date  = 16 January 2009
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207234802/http://www.japannewsreview.com/business/business/20070712page_id=598
 |archive-date = 7 December 2008
|url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Stores connected to a service station developed into a trend, celebrated by some progressive architects:

In 1939,<ref name="allbusiness">[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/food-stores/4474276-1.html Dairy Mart Uncovers Piece of History]. Originally published in ''Convenience Store News'', 16 April 2002. Retrieved from AllBusiness.com, 19 December 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229045345/http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/food-stores/4474276-1.html |date=29 February 2012 }}</ref> a [[dairy]] owner named J.J. Lawson started a store at his dairy plant near [[Akron, Ohio]], to sell his milk. The [[Lawson (store)|Lawson]]'s Milk Company grew to a chain of stores, primarily in Ohio.<ref name="allbusiness" /> [[Circle K]], another large company-owned convenience store chain, was founded in 1951.

Since that time, many different convenience store [[brand]]s have developed, and their stores may either be [[corporation|corporate]]-owned or [[franchising|franchises]]. The items offered for sale tend to be similar despite store brand, and almost always include [[Potato chip|chips]], [[milk]], [[coffee]], [[soft drink]]s, [[bread]], [[snack]]s, [[ice cream]], [[candy]], [[chewing gum|gum]], [[cigarette]]s, [[lip balm]], [[condom]]s, [[phone card]]s, [[map]]s, [[magazine]]s, [[newspaper]]s, small [[toy]]s, [[car]] supplies, [[feminine hygiene]] products, [[cat food]], [[dog food]] and [[toilet paper]]. Other less common items include [[sandwich]]es, [[pizza]], and [[frozen food]]. Nearly all convenience stores also have an [[automated teller machine]] (ATM), though other banking services are usually not available. [[State lottery]] tickets are also available at these stores.

In 1966, the US convenience store industry first recorded $1 billion in sales. By the end of the decade, the industry had recorded $3.5 billion a year in sales. The first 24-hour store opened in [[Las Vegas]] in 1963. By the late 1960s, the number of 24-hour convenience stores increased to meet the needs of a younger population and people who were working late night or early morning shifts.

Some convenience stores in the US also sell [[gasoline]]. Only 2,500 stores had self-serve at the pump by 1969. It was not until the 1970s that retailers realized selling gasoline could be profitable and competitive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacs50.com/decades/60s/|title=NACS 50th Anniversary – 1960s: Developing Critical Mass|website=www.nacs50.com}}</ref> At the same time, [[1970s energy crisis|two energy shortages in the decade]] had many service station owners stop selling fuel altogether since they made more money off of vehicle maintenance, while others decided to convert their garages into convenience stores, noting that they met a need and in some cases netted more profits than garages.

{{Quote box
 |quote  = In the gasoline service station may be seen the beginning of an important advance agent of decentralization by way of distribution and also the beginning of the establishment of the Broadacre City. Wherever the service station happens to be naturally located, these now crude and seemingly insignificant units will grow and expand into various distributing centers for merchandise of all sorts. They are already doing so in the Southwest to a great extent.
 |source = [[Frank Lloyd Wright]], ''The Disappearing City'', 1932
}}

In 2011, there were approximately 47,195 gas stations with convenience stores that generated $326 billion in revenue.<ref>{{cite report|title=Gas Stations with Convenience Stores (code 44711/447110) Market Research|publisher=[[NAICS]] |date=December 2011 }}</ref> Of the 150,000 convenience stores in the country, 120,000{{Inconsistent|reason=120,000 doesn't line up with 47,000}} of them are located at fuel stations, which sell approximately 80 percent of the fuels purchased in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nacsonline.com/YourBusiness/FuelsReports/GasPrices_2013/Pages/StatisticsDefinitions.aspx|title=Fueling America: A Snapshot of Key Facts and Figures|website=[[National Association of Convenience Stores]] |year=2013|archive-date=8 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808095348/http://www.nacsonline.com/YourBusiness/FuelsReports/GasPrices_2013/Pages/StatisticsDefinitions.aspx|url-status=dead }}</ref>

Policies regarding the sale of [[adult magazine]]s vary, but generally larger chains (such as 7-Eleven and [[Casey's General Store]]s) do not sell these items, while smaller independent stores may do so. One notable exception is fast-growing regional chain [[Sheetz]], which until the late 2010s sold some [[soft-core pornography|soft-core pornographic]] material such as ''[[Playboy]]'', ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'', and ''[[Playgirl]]''. Sheetz ended this practice as part of a broader decision to end sales of all [[print media]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Because the laws regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages vary from state to state in the US, the availability of [[beer]], [[wine]], and [[distilled beverage|liquor]] varies greatly. For example, while convenience stores in [[Alaska]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[New Jersey]] cannot sell any kind of alcohol at all, stores in [[Nevada]], [[New Mexico]], and [[California]] may sell alcoholic beverages of any sort, while stores in [[Virginia]], [[Idaho]], or [[Oregon]] can sell beer and wine, but not liquor. Similar to grocery stores, convenience stores in [[New York (state)|New York]] can sell beer only, not wine or liquor. [[Altoona, Pennsylvania]]–based Sheetz tried to find a [[loophole]] in 2007 by classifying part of one of their prototype stores in Altoona as a [[restaurant]], which would permit alcohol sales.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-01-2007/0004518282&EDATE= |title=Sheetz, Inc. Announces Alcohol Sales in Pennsylvania |first= |last=}}</ref> State courts in [[Pennsylvania]] promptly overruled this. State law requires restaurants to have on-site consumption, but Sheetz did not do this.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdka.com/local/beer.sales.Sheetz.2.387795.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820110530/http://kdka.com/local/beer.sales.Sheetz.2.387795.html|url-status=dead|title=kdka.com – Court Rules Against Beer In Convenience Store|archivedate=20 August 2010}}</ref> Sheetz continues to sell alcohol in other states. In recent years, Sheetz has begun to sell both beer (in the form of walk-in "beer caves") and wine in most of their [[Pennsylvania]] stores as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/wawa-sheetz-alcohol-beer-wine-pennsylvania-ambler-plcb-20200622.html|title = Convenience store chains push to sell alcohol as industry newcomers disrupt the norm| date=22 June 2020 }}</ref>

====Crime====
{{Main|Convenience store crime}}
American convenience stores are often targets of [[armed robbery]]. In some areas of the US it is not unusual for clerks to work behind [[bulletproof glass]] windows, even during daylight hours. Some convenience stores may limit access inside at night, requiring customers to approach a walk-up window to make purchases. The main dangers are that almost all convenience stores only have one person working night shift; most of the transactions are in cash; and easily resold merchandise, such as liquor, [[lottery ticket]]s and [[cigarette]]s, are on site.

Most convenience stores have a cash drop slot into a time-delay [[safe]] to limit the amount of cash on hand. Many have installed [[security camera]]s to help deter robberies and [[shoplifting]]. Because of their vulnerability to crime, nearly all convenience stores have a friendly relationship with the local [[police]]. To reduce burglaries when the store is closed, some convenience stores have bars on the windows.

==Similar concepts==
Convenience stores to some extent replaced the old-fashioned [[general store]]. They are similar to [[Australia]]n [[milk bar]]s, but unlike these are often franchises and not "Mum and Dad" small business operations. In Britain, corner shops in towns and village shops in the countryside served similar purposes and were the precursors to the modern European convenience shop (e.g. [[Spar (retailer)|Spar]]). In the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Quebec]], ''dépanneurs'' (often referred to as "deps" in English) are often family-owned neighbourhood shops that serve similar purposes. [[Truck stop]]s, also known as "travel centers", combine a shop offering similar goods with a convenience store with amenities for [[truck driver|professional drivers]] of [[semi-trailer truck]]s. This may include fast food restaurants, showers and facilities for buying large quantities of [[diesel fuel]]. The equivalent in Europe is the [[motorway service station]].

Neighborhood grocery stores not big enough to be considered a supermarket often compete with convenience shops. For example, in [[Los Angeles]], a local chain operates neighborhood grocery stores that fill a niche between a traditional supermarket and convenience shop. Because they stock fresh fruit and fresh meat and carry upwards of 5,000 items, they have a lot in common with the supermarket. Due to the relatively small store size, customers can get in and out conveniently or have purchases delivered. In [[Belgium]], convenience shops known as '''night shops''' are only permitted to open at night.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2017/04/05/7_in_10_night_shopsfloutingregulations-1-2942869/|title = 7 in 10 night shops flouting regulations|date = 5 April 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Companies|Supermarkets}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[List of convenience stores]]
* [[National Association of Convenience Stores]]
* [[Take a penny, leave a penny]]
* [[Filling station]]
* [[Retail#Types of retail outlets|Types of retail outlets]]
* [[Automated convenience store]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |first=Carlos |last=Sanabria |year=2017 |title=The Bodega: A Cornerstone of Puerto Rican Barrios |series=The Justo Martí Collection |location=Chicago |publisher=Centro Press |isbn=978-1-945662-06-5}}
* {{Cite news |first=Hansi Lo |last=Wang |date=10 March 2017 |title=New York City Bodegas and the Generations Who Love Them |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/03/10/518376170/new-york-city-bodegas-and-the-generations-who-love-them |department=Code Switch (story series) |publisher=National Public Radio |work=[[All Things Considered]] |access-date=11 March 2017}}
* {{Cite book |first= Cosima |last=Werner |date=2023 |title=Convenience Stores as Social Spaces: Trust and Relations in Deprived Neighborhoods in the U.S. |publisher= Lexington Books|isbn= 978-1666930771}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Convenience stores}}
* [http://www.csnews.com/ Convenience Store News] (convenience store industry trade publication and online news source)
* [http://www.conveniencecentral.ca/ Convenience Store News Canada] (Canada's convenience store industry trade publication, event and news source)
* [http://www.cstoredecisions.com/ ''Convenience Store Decisions''] (convenience store industry trade publication)
* [http://www.c-store.com.au/ Australian Convenience Store News] (industry trade publication)
* [http://www.nacsonline.com/ NACS, the Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing]

{{Convenience stores}}
{{Retail}}
{{fast culture}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Convenience stores| ]]