3 Big Numbers is a weekly column that looks at a few key details from around the c-store industry.
This year has been a wild one for c-stores. From one major convenience retailer looking to buy another to the proliferation of new technologies, formats and leaders, there was rarely a dull moment.
Among all that news, a few stories in particular stood out from the rest. For our last column of the year, we wanted to take a final look at some of those eye-catching headlines.
In today’s “3 Big Numbers,” we’re looking back at 7-Eleven’s store closings, a regional favorite’s plans to conquer the U.S. and the year’s largest c-store acquisition.
444
The number of underperforming stores in North America 7-Eleven plans to close.
The world’s largest c-store banner made numerous headlines in 2024. From new merch to new food to new private label items, 7-Eleven kept people talking.
A pair of announcements in October stood out from the rest. First, the company revealed it would close 444 underperforming stores in North America. Then a couple weeks later, it shared plans to build 600 sites in the U.S., including 500 between 2025 and 2027, using a new, larger, food-focused store design.
Both of these developments were big news, but the 444 closings are emblematic of a larger problem for c-stores. Economic conditions are hurting many retailers, large and small, and 7-Eleven was no exception. Announcing it would close more than 400 stores was a bold move, but should help the company redirect resources toward newer stores with better prospects.
37
The number of Buc-ee’s planned or open in states other than Texas, according to C-Store Dive’s reporting data.
There’s no avoiding it — people love Buc-ee’s. There are large groups on social media where fans share the positives and negatives of their visits, merch hauls and availability of rare shirts or cups.
Not that long ago, prospective customers would need to make a pilgrimage down to Texas to get their fix. Then in 2019, the company opened its first store outside Texas, and since then the floodgates have opened. This year alone, Buc-ee’s announced plans for its first sites in Arizona, Arkansas and Kansas.
Mapping Buc-ee's store footprint beyond Texas
By our count, there are now 37 stores either open or in the planning stages outside of Texas. You can see more details of them all in the handy map above. And this may not be all of them, as Buc-ee’s tends to stay quiet about the early stages of prospective new sites.
It may not be opening as many locations as Casey’s General Stores or Circle K, but Buc-ee’s supersized stores always have an outsized impact.
270
The number of locations in the largest c-store acquisition of the year.
When it came to eye-popping M&A, 2024 couldn’t hold a candle to 2023 for the sheer size of the deals. Last year saw Maverik buy Kum & Go’s 400-plus sites, BP absorb TravelCenters of America’s 281 sites and MAPCO split its roughly 300 stores between Alimentation Couche-Tard and Majors Management.
The largest acquisition this year was smaller than all three of those, but it still marked a major milestone for one of the industry’s largest players. The marquee acquisition in 2024 was Couche-Tard’s agreement to snag GetGo Cafe + Market’s 270 convenience stores from grocer Giant Eagle.
The deal may have a sizable impact on North America’s second-largest c-store operator. In an earnings call after the deal, Couche-Tard’s CEO Alex Miller referred to GetGo as an “innovative, food-first convenience store experience” that will bring expertise in made-to-order foodservice and loyalty to Couche-Tard.
