Convenience Retailers Embrace Merchandise as a Brand Amplifier
In contemporary commerce, it is increasingly common to encounter products adorned with the Buc-ee’s beaver mascot, and the trend is far-reaching.
From aesthetically pleasing coffee cups and stylish trucker hats to more unique offerings like pickleball paddles, convenience stores are discovering that patrons are willing to purchase nearly anything branded with their logo.
Each transaction at the register acts as an additional marketing avenue, disseminating brand awareness across vast distances.
Notably, items featuring the Buc-ee’s emblem can be spotted hundreds of miles away from the nearest Buc-ee’s outlet, serving as a testament to the brand’s reach.
- Buc-ee’s is No. 136 in CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count, while Stewart’s Shops ranks No. 22, Kwik Trip follows at No. 11, and Love’s Travel Stop sits at No. 15.
Debbie Morris, proprietor of Silver Streak Market in Lexington, Kentucky, is becoming an advocate for this strategy. Following a recommendation from her brother-in-law, she has embarked on selling branded T-shirts, leveraging the richness of the thoroughbred horse racing culture.
“My brother-in-law runs a steam printing press. He snapped a picture of our store. The front of our blue T-shirt carries a subtle script of our name and logo, while the back prominently showcases the Silver Streak Market image. Our staff dons these T-shirts and caps during their shifts,” she explains.
“Now, we’re on the verge of retailing these tees and caps for $10,” Morris states. “There is a demand for them. I’ve already sold several to eager customers. I prominently display them on tables, gondolas, and spinner racks.”
Nebraska’s Exemplary Venture
Jim Riewe, president of Fat Dogs, located in North Platte, Nebraska, conceived the notion of branding Fat Dogs merchandise after years spent as a merchandising expert for giants like Walmart and SHOPCO USA.
Fat Dogs utilizes its iconic dog logo coupled with the chain’s slogan, “You are nowhere,” implying both isolation on the interstate and the immediate presence of their stores.
Riewe notes, “When I joined Wilkinson Cos. a decade ago, Fat Dogs offered the conventional unbranded assortment of ball caps and bumper stickers—items that were slightly overpriced.”
Transitioning to branded merchandise, the chain initially collaborated with a vendor responsible for design, while Fat Dogs staff managed the rest of the process.
However, Riewe identified limitations in this approach: each outlet unwittingly ordered the same items, lacking insight into customer preferences—a tactic that seemed more arbitrary than analytical.
This spring, the company partnered with Toploft Clothing from Carroll, Iowa, as its dedicated merchandise vendor. Toploft’s extensive experience in retail merchandising proved invaluable.
“With Toploft, we’ve instituted an internal online ordering system that allows us to precisely identify replenishment needs for every store or cluster,” Riewe elucidates. “For instance, we can allocate 25 Fat Dogs shot glasses to certain stores while dispatching 40 coffee mugs to others.”
This approach marks a significant improvement compared to the previously standard bulk ordering method. “We’ve adopted a ‘just-in-time inventory’ system, affording us a quicker turnaround,” he adds.
The breadth of merchandise is impressive. Fat Dogs offers an array that includes plush stuffed dogs, thermal mugs, koozies, beanies, hoodies, T-shirts, and keychains, along with puffer vests available exclusively through the upcoming online store.
“An e-commerce platform enables us to provide a wider selection of unique caps and hoodies while minimizing ball cap SKUs in-store,” Riewe expounds. “For instance, we’ll initially launch puffer vests online and, should they sell well, integrate them into select physical stores.”
Capitalizing on Scale
Larger retailers, such as Buc-ee’s, have effectively capitalized on their extensive geographic presence, internal capabilities, and iconic logos to launch ambitious merchandising campaigns.
Companies like Stewart’s Shops in Saratoga Springs, Kwik Trip in La Crosse, and Love’s Travel Stops in Oklahoma City have introduced proprietary apparel and accessory lines.
As patrons depart a Stewart’s Shop adorned in Mountain Brew baseball caps or vintage T-shirts, they unwittingly function as viral advertisements for the brand.
After a five-year hiatus, Stewart’s has revived its Mountain Brew beer in collaboration with Paradox Brewery, which crafted a new recipe for the product line.
In response to customer enthusiasm for merchandise post-launch, Stewart’s designed a vintage gray acid-washed T-shirt featuring the Mountain Brew logo, retailing at $21.99 across six sizes. A matching gray and black Mountain Brew baseball cap is also available for $14.99.
Meanwhile, in June, Kwik Trip launched its official merchandise in 33 locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin. “Our merchandise has become a significant avenue for sharing the Kwik Trip brand with our customers,” remarked Hayden Knoll, Kwik Trip influencer and merch specialist.
This line includes T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and an assortment of accessories such as fishing lures, lanyards, and essential items for morning coffee, including tumblers and can holders. Unique offerings also include pickleball paddles and a party supply pack for true Kwik Trip enthusiasts.
Last year, Love’s Travel Stops ventured into NFL-themed clothing in partnership with Buffalo Outdoors, featuring a range of garments from work vests to snapback hats sporting logo designs of all 32 NFL franchises.
Mark Romig, Love’s director of merchandising, highlighted that this collaboration allows customers to represent their beloved NFL teams while maintaining workplace safety standards. “We’re excited to offer this innovative product line to our customers,” he remarked.
Merchandising Strategies
However, not all successful merchandise sales derive from store-branded offerings. Morris at Silver Streak has seen success with a variety of general merchandise reflecting horse racing, featuring renowned tracks like Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Aqueduct, and Santa Anita on products like hoodies and caps.
Fat Dogs’ Riewe noted that the chain also thrived by marketing unbranded items, showcasing state-themed and collegiate merchandise from the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. These products have been creatively merchandised in 4- or 8-foot planograms based on store size.
“Travelers often seek souvenirs to commemorate their journeys through Nebraska,” Riewe observed, emphasizing the successful integration of merchandise in their newly launched travel center in North Platte.
Apart from in-store sales, Fat Dogs is leveraging its partnership with DoorDash for local food deliveries to further amplify brand awareness. “Deliveries feature frosted bags adorned with our logo,” he noted.
The network of professional drivers represents another strategic channel, where patrons fueling up with over 100 gallons of diesel receive complimentary Fat Dogs-branded tote bags for their toiletries.
“This grants us excellent brand exposure,” Riewe enthused.
Collaborative Branding Ventures
In a manner reminiscent of Stewart’s partnership with Paradox Brewery, Fat Dogs has also joined forces with a local Nebraska distiller.
This collaboration involves the branding of a popular cherry-lime whiskey with the Fat Dogs logo. “We’ve designated prime space in stores for this whiskey, exclusive to our brand,” Riewe asserted.
Thus far this year, Fat Dogs has reported a 60% surge in merchandise sales compared to the previous year. To maintain a streamlined operation, “we’ve established a back-office team that monitors and manages inventory,” he mentioned.
While profit from Fat Dogs apparel is a target, the primary goal is to circulate merchandise, enabling customers to become ambassadors for the brand.
“For certain items, we aim to achieve a quick turnover, pricing them more affordably for broader distribution,” Riewe clarified.
“Higher pricing can lead to stagnant inventory. An economical price point encourages sales.”
He elaborated, “Our profit model balances various products; for instance, we may accept a lower margin on a ceramic cup—say 40% instead of 60%—to promote thermal mugs.”
The initiative to establish “traveling brands” through proprietary convenience store apparel and accessories serves as an effective mechanism to attract customers with merchandise, fostering brand loyalty and attracting new clientele.
As of winter, the Kwik Trip proprietary merchandise program is undergoing testing and may evolve into a permanent addition based on in-store performance, as stated by Paige Geary, digital marketing manager.
“The goal is to continue expanding this initiative, subject to the outcomes of our testing period,” she added.
Knoll from Kwik Trip concluded, “Whether it’s a hat, lanyard, or one of our cherished Kwik Trip stuffed cows, these items resonate as souvenirs while fortifying connections with our communities.”
Source link: Cspdailynews.com.
