convenience stores news stories on Newser

'Flash Mob' Loots Maryland 7-Eleven

Tim Karan — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:40:42 CDT

Apparently looting now falls under the classification of "flash mob." A group of 30 teenagers strolled into a Maryland 7-Eleven early yesterday, quietly picked up items, and then walked out without paying, reports Fox News . Cops are calling it another instance of flash mob crime, in which large groups of...

Spotted: Farmville Groceries at Your Local 7-Eleven

bluephoenixnyc — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:51:23 CDT

Who'd have expected a modest Facebook game about raising cattle and tending to crops to become such a sensation? Now 7-Eleven is cashing in on the craze, with convenience stores selling FarmVille-branded food items. If that's not scary enough, many of these items have codes redeemable for in-game goodies including...

Big Tobacco Sues Over 'Disgusting' Anti-Smoking Posters

Rob Quinn — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:02:00 CDT

Images of cancerous lungs, rotting teeth, and brain damage caused by smoking are "unappetizing," complain lawyers for tobacco companies suing New York City. RJ Reynolds, Philip Morris, and Lorillard are taking the city to court over anti-smoking ads that stores selling cigarettes are now legally required to post near the...

$258M Powerball Winner May Keep Job

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:00:00 CDT

A Missouri man who won a $258 million Powerball jackpot said he hasn't decided yet if he'll quit his job at the convenience store where he bought the winning ticket. Chris Shaw, a 29-year-old tattooed father of three, came forward yesterday as the winner of the 10th-largest Powerball jackpot ever,...

Newest Beer Brand Is From ... 7-Eleven?

John Johnson — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:08:59 CDT

After quaffing your Burger King mimosa , be sure to leave room for a 7-Eleven beer. The convenience store has begun selling its own brand, called Game Day. The chain is trying to take advantage of the rising demand for low-cost beer in the recession, writes Joshua M. Bernstein at Slashfood...

Clerk Runs Off With Million Dollar Lotto Ticket

Kevin Spak — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:59:01 CDT

A former Texas convenience store clerk is on the lam and living large, police say, after making off with an unwitting customer’s million dollar lotto ticket. Willis Willis of Grand Prairie, Texas bought tickets at the Lucky Food Store every week, trusting the clerks to check if he’d won. When...

Foiled Robber Leaves Store With $40, Bread

Matt Cantor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:19:00 CDT

A man approached a Long Island convenience store counter with a baseball bat, demanding cash; the shop owner whipped out his shotgun, prompting the man’s tearful pleas for mercy. The impassioned display worked, Newsday reports: Mohammad Sohail took pity on the robber and gave him $40 and a loaf of...

Japanese Stores Conquer Convenience

Rob Quinn — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:08:16 CST

Japan's ultra-convenient convenience stores are one of the few bright spots in the nation's struggling economy, the Washington Post reports. Business is booming at the 40,000 stores nationwide, which offer everything from hot soup to cold beer to fresh sushi. Customers can pay their bills, book travel, and even...

Boston Bans Drugstore Cigarette Sales

Rob Quinn — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:26:57 CDT

Boston's health honchos have approved some of the country's toughest anti-tobacco rules by banning sales at some stores, the Boston Globe reports. The new rules forbid pharmacies and campus convenience stores from selling cigarettes. They also ban smoking on bar and restaurant patios. The city's cigar parlors, previously exempt, will...