7eleven

7 ELEVEN                                                                                                                                                      

MISSION

VISION
Our vision is to be the best retailer of convenience for emerging markets.

HISTORY OF 7 ELEVEN
The Birth of Convenience Retailing
When a gallon of milk cost 56 cents and ice was sold in blocks rather than bags for ice boxes back in 1927, an enterprising Southland Ice Company employee, “Uncle Johnny” Jefferson Green, began offering milk, bread and eggs from the ice house.
He quickly saw a need to carry these items for customers who were out of these everyday staples. He sold a lot of these items on Sundays and evenings when grocery stores were closed.
Realizing the possibilities of Uncle Johnny’s idea to provide customers what they wanted and when they needed it, Joe C. Thompson, Jr., one of the founders and later president and chairman of The Southland Corporation, began selling the product line at other ice-dock locations. At the time, the company had eight ice plants and 21 retail ice docks.
Thus convenience retailing was born. More and more customers caught on to this new idea, and the company increased to 60 Southland-owned retail ice docks within a decade.
The Customer Appeal Grows
Automobiles were becoming more common and needed fuel, a fact not lost on the little Dallas ice company. Southland ice docks began selling gasoline in 1928, again appealing to what the customer needed. Customers also liked that the ice docks were built 60 feet back so they could conveniently pull in and out.
By 1936, people would come from miles to shop at the ice plant/retail shop combo that offered curb service, staples, canned goods and in season, ice-cold watermelon. The retail ice houses attracted even more customers after the repeal of Prohibition. With the sale of liquor and beer, sales increased dramatically, and stores began to grow again after the depression.
Toting Away Your...