NACS Ideas 2 Go shares innovative ideas—both big and small—from convenience retailers across the country. In addition to NACS Magazine articles, since 1994, the Ideas 2 Go video program has featured hundreds of interviews with retailers from nearly every state and five countries. To watch these retailers in action, visit nacsonline.com/ideas2go.
Not long ago, every small town had a general store. Customers could buy soda, candy, food and tobacco. Feed and farming supplies were offered, too. Frequently, the store housed the town’s only post office, telephone and pharmacy. These factors made general stores popular for socializing and doing business. Today, most general stores have disappeared. But the importance of a casual, central gathering place continues to be at the heart of small, rural communities.
In Vinita, Oklahoma, Shout & Sack has been bringing the community together since 1977. Most mornings, farmers and ranchers eat breakfast at the café counter, discussing politics, weather and cattle prices. The Friday Night Fish Fry is a social tradition. While the store’s phone is not the only one in town, customers frequently use it to check sports scores or the movie schedule down the block.
“They call us ‘the hub,’” said Chris Carter, who owns the 24-hour store with his wife, Jody. “There’s a counter with about 10 stools plus booths. People come in three-piece suits and bib overalls. There’s the bank president, the big ranchers. They visit, talk and see everyone. At lunch, booths are always full.”
Shout & Sack attracts everyone from grandmas to local prison workers. Located on historic Route 66, it also draws tourists and travelers. Daily, the 10,000-square-foot c-store, deli and cafe serves about 3,000 people—in a town of 6,600. It also does catering.
From Ships to Chips
Carter spent four years in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of second class petty officer. He attended college on the G.I. Bill while working in a convenience store and discovered that he loved working with people.
Carter took sales route jobs with Rainbow Bread (Bimbo Brand) and Frito-Lay, never abandoning his dream of owning a c-store. A “dear friend” taught him to make traditional barbecue. Carter also worked for free at caterers to learn that business.
His hard work and perseverance has paid off. On food review websites, everybody from elementary school teachers to local Cherokee Nation officials praise Shout & Sack’s foodservice. Carter smokes meat on-premise, and freshly prepared products use Angus-certified beef. Catering and foodservice comprise about half of the store’s sales.
Branding is key—outside the store, the building’s side features a caricature of Carter’s bulldog and reads, “Big Dawg BBQ and Smoked Meats.” Inside, the extensive menu includes Big Dawg Dogs, Chili Dawgs, a Big Daddy Sandwich and Chubby Chicken Chest. Then, there is Big Dawg Catering.
“Get it!” is Carter’s marketing slogan and fuel brand—often accompanied by a cartoon chicken. “Everything has a name,” he added. “Branding makes it different. We try to put logos on everything.” Case in point: Shout & Sack recently introduced sausage on a stick with pancake batter. Performance was fair. When christened “Pig on a Pole” (with a pig cartoon), daily sales went from 12 to 40.
Everybody in the community knows Carter. He is often seen driving his classic convertible with his bulldog riding shotgun. Ads feature images of the dog, as does an ever-changing assortment of T-shirts, hats and other items. The Route 66 logo is also on apparel, which is purchased by residents and tourists. It appears on floor graphics, cups and retro outside signage, too.
Hard Work Reaps Rewards
What defines Shout & Sack is its dedicated employees, fresh food and of course, Carter himself.
Employees are rigorously trained—and rigorously rewarded. Workers must help shoppers while attending to details like clean floors (which are buffed nightly) and restrooms, which they check every 20 minutes. Employees cannot use cell phones, and they must wear ironed khakis and logo shirts.
“If I didn’t learn anything else in the military, I learned discipline, respect and the value of a dollar,” said Carter. “There’s a dozen places to eat. There’s a Walmart and two other c-stores nearby. If you keep everything clean, people keep coming.”
Training is thorough and turnover is low. Carter out-pays his competitors, starting at $10 per hour and topping out at $22. He also provides managerial bonuses and college scholarships. “[Employees] earn it and I expect more,” he says.
The entrepreneur’s generosity extends beyond the store. Carter supports more than a dozen charities, he gives bikes and skateboards to needy kids and his provides free food for military personnel in uniform. There are bonus fountain drinks for children on school bus trips and complimentary food delivered to veterans’ and senior citizens’ homes. Supporting charities fosters brand building, but it is also a way of “giving back.”
Carter attributes his success to core values. “I believe in the four F’s: family, faith, friends and fun. If you follow those, chances are you’ll do all right.” he said.
Debby Garbato is an independent business journalist and research report analyst who has covered retail for 25 years. She can be reached at dgarbatocheers@aol.com.