NEW YORK & SAN ANTONIO -- Even as major oil companies are selling off their retail sites to focus on the usually more-profitable refining segment, smaller refiners are finding c-store retail to be a financial advantage in the current economy. "In retail marketing, our financial results were adversely affected by lower gasoline volumes, which were 3% below last year, and weaker margins, partially offset by higher c-store sales, which were up nearly 11% from last year," said John Hess, chairman and CEO of Hess Corp., New York.

PHOENIX -- "Who has felt culture shock in their company between the retail mindset and the foodservice mindset?" asked Abbie Westra, executive editor of Fare magazine. "Because it's a whole new world; it requires the proper metrics, math, technology, software and complete buy-in from the entire company—especially those at the store level—to make it work." Westra led a workshop on "Interpreting Foodservice Sales Data, Uncovering Opportunity" at the 2010 Convenience Retailing University (CRU) conference, held by CSP.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Department of Transportation has signed a 35-year agreement with Project Service to overhaul and manage the operations of the 23 state-owned travel plazas located on I-95, I-395, the Merritt Parkway and the Wilbur Cross Parkway. Project Service is a joint venture of Doctor's Associates, the parent company of the Subway sandwich shop chain, and The Carlyle Group, a global private-equity fund. Under the agreement, Project Service and its tenants will invest $178 million to complete upgrades and improvements to the facilities.