Shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award Longlisted for the Believer Book Award Longlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation A Los Angeles Times Bestseller The English-language debut of an exciting young voice in international fiction, selling 660,000 copies in Japan alone, Convenience Store Woman is a bewitching portrayal of contemporary Japan through the eyes of a single woman who fits into the rigidity of its work culture only too well. The English-language debut of one of Japan’s most talented contemporary writers, selling over 650,000 copies there, Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura. Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,” she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction—many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual—and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal” person excellently, more or less. Managers come and go, but Keiko stays at the store for eighteen years. It’s almost hard to tell where the store ends and she begins. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action… A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

Made To Order: The Sheetz Story traces the fascinating history of Sheetz, Inc., a regional convenience retailer that battled the odds and cemented its name among the acclaimed ranks of America's most successful private companies. From its humble dairy store origins in Pennsylvania, Sheetz became a convenience-store giant, amassing hundreds of locations across six states, and along the way, combined numerous creative marketing campaigns with retail innovations to shape the Sheetz recipe for success. Made To Order: The Sheetz Story narrates how the company remade itself in the face of dramatically shifting demographics, bravely stood up for its customer base when confronted with a serious crisis, and emerged as a revered and much-beloved retail phenomenon.

Wawa, a family business with a history in dairy and manufacturing, expanded into retail in 1964, offering a friendly, personal alternative to supermarkets. Since then, the convenience store grew into a well-known company that competes against the biggest industry players in the world in three areas -- fuel, convenience, and food -- all while maintaining their personal approach and small business mentality. Now, almost 50 years later, Wawa has opened its first store in Florida and has begun to play on the national field. How did it happen? What are the reasons for their success? Why have they been able to go up against the big guys with nothing more than homegrown talent? With a mixture of personal history and business advice, Howard Stoeckel discusses the last 50 years of Wawa's growth, development, and expansion. It's the story of how a small company with a funny name made a big difference, and all it took was a little goose sense.

In the tradition of Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma, an extraordinary investigation into the human lives at the heart of the American grocery store What does it take to run the American supermarket? How do products get to shelves? Who sets the price? And who suffers the consequences of increased convenience end efficiency? In this alarming exposé, author Benjamin Lorr pulls back the curtain on this highly secretive industry. Combining deep sourcing, immersive reporting, and compulsively readable prose, Lorr leads a wild investigation in which we learn: • The secrets of Trader Joe’s success from Trader Joe himself • Why truckers call their job “sharecropping on wheels” • What it takes for a product to earn certification labels like “organic” and “fair trade” • The struggles entrepreneurs face as they fight for shelf space, including essential tips, tricks, and traps for any new food business • The truth behind the alarming slave trade in the shrimp industry The result is a page-turning portrait of an industry in flux, filled with the passion, ingenuity, and exploitation required to make this everyday miracle continue to function. The product of five years of research and hundreds of interviews across every level of the industry, The Secret Life of Groceries delivers powerful social commentary on the inherently American quest for more and the social costs therein.

Nightshift clerk and high-functioning insomniac Jack is back to work, trying his best to keep out of trouble. But when his chain-smoking coworker discovers a mysterious radio signal revealing the guarded secrets of their town, Jack will learn that an annoying new dayshift manager is far from the worst of his problems. In this second installment of the Gas Station saga, Jack finds himself entangled in his most harrowing adventure yet. With the newest crew of coworkers along for the ride and the resident psychopath out for his blood, our hero(?) must navigate the drama of small-town murder conspiracies, vigilante justice, and demonic summoning rituals...whether he wants to or not.

Why a book about Gas station business? Well, gas stations are in every street corner, they are dime a dozen, but why are there so many of them?. Since the economic meltdown of 2008, we not only witnessed the collapse of the housing market, but also the wave of small businesses that closed their doors forever. Look at your city, and I am sure you will find empty homes alongside many local businesses such as restaurants, gift shops, clothing stores, etc. standing there with empty windows and a "For Sale" sign in the front. Now, look again. How many gas stations or convenience stores closed during the same period? Probably none. Instead, you may have noticed there are new stations constantly being built. Why is that? The answer is simple: it is a recession proof business. Whether you have a job or not, have a house or not; you still need gasoline for your car, milk for the kids, or need to make a quick run for cigarettes, beer, soft drinks.. You corner gas station is filled with all our daily life necessities.Now that we established Gas Station is a good and recession proof business to get into, the question is how do we get into one on a limited budget and once we do get into it, how can we stand out in this crowded market and be unique.?Here in this book I bring you all the answers along with all the best information possible to help you start, run and grow a successful gas station/convenience store business. Whether you're just starting out or you're a veteran in the gas station business, I am going to show you some new and innovative ways to get you to the next level and stand out in the crowd. As a 20 plus year veteran of gas station business, I am always trying new and innovative methods to increase sales and profitability. Technology and marketing strategies are changing every day, and the "old school" methods are not working anymore.In this book I outlined and explained in depth the followings:* How to Choose the Right Business Location* Should you Buy or Lease a Gas Station Business* How to effectively do Due Diligence on any Business* How to get Bank Financing* How to Close a Deal * What and How to set up a Corporation and obtain all required Licensing * How to Market your store and increase Sales and ultimately Profitability* How to Hire, Train and Manage Employees* How to have an Inventory Management System* How to do Bookkeeping * How to handle Loss Prevention/TheftA full Business Plan in included in this book along with a link where you can download a fully workable business plan that you can modify to fit your need.After reading this book, if you still have need for more information, I would suggest you check out my Gas Station Business 101 podcast audio show on iTunes, it is free to subscribe and you can listen to anywhere. Through this podcast show, you'll stay up to date on everything that is going on in this industry. Branding, Business Plans, Business loans, innovative marketing Strategies, theft control, gas station business bookkeeping, regulations, pricing - you name it, it's here for you. You can also check out my blog at GasStationBusiness101.com and let me show you the way to becoming successful in this profitable niche business.In this second edition, we addressed a few errors and typos, we also updated some data, as well as some charts and graphs that are now very easy to read.