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7-Eleven Corporation
The World's Largest Convenience Retailer
During 2007, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $46.6
billion. Named the #1 Franchise Opportunity for 2008 by Entrepreneur magazine,
7-Eleven is franchising virtually all of its stores in the U.S., and is expanding
through its Business Conversion Program, acquisitions, building new locations and
leasing existing properties.
In North America, 7-Eleven serves approximately seven million customers daily,
focusing on meeting the needs of busy shoppers by providing a broad selection of
fresh, high-quality products and services at everyday fair prices, along with speedy
transactions and a clean, safe, friendly shopping environment.
The company is known for Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs,
Slurpee® beverages, and Café Select® fresh brewed coffee. The stores have expanded
their food service offerings with a proprietary line of deli items and baked goods,
which are prepared and delivered fresh daily.
7-Eleven also offers convenient services based on each neighborhood's individual needs,
including automated money orders, copiers, fax and automatic teller machines,
long-distance phone cards and lottery tickets, where available.
7-Eleven in Chicago
In Chicago, 7-Eleven purchased the 200-store White Hen convenience store chain in 2006,
bringing its store total in the area to nearly 400. Because of the great popularity of
White Hen's offerings, Chicago 7-Eleven stores still continue to serve White Hen's
signature coffee, which features a more robust flavor, as well as its Pantry
Select-brand line of fresh sandwiches, salads and entrees.
A History of Convenience
7-Eleven pioneered the convenience store concept more than 80 years ago at the
Southland Ice Company in Dallas, Texas. In addition to selling blocks of ice to
refrigerate food, an enterprising ice dock employee began offering milk, bread and
eggs on Sundays and evenings when grocery stores were closed. This new business idea
produced satisfied customers and increased sales. Thus, the convenience retailing
industry was born!
The company's first convenience outlets were known as Tote'm stores since customers
"toted" away their purchases, and some even sported genuine Alaskan totem poles in
front. In 1946, Tote'm became 7-Eleven to reflect the stores' new, extended hours -
7 a.m. until 11 p.m., seven days a week. The company's corporate name was changed from
The Southland Corporation to 7-Eleven, Inc. in 1999.
Among 7-Eleven's famous firsts: