“My son practically grew up in the store. Lonnie [McQuirter, store owner] was always there to scoop him up when we came in, let him behind the counter, play Matchbox cars with him … there was always someone working at 36 Lyn who cared about us,” she said. “I was at a crossroads in my career—I have a background in social work, education and low-income advocacy—and when I interviewed at 36 Lyn, I told Lonnie, ‘I want to be the person for someone that you guys always were for me.’”

She spoke with NACS about:

What the convenience industry means to her
We are that constant for the community. We open early and close late. We are that reliable destination that’s here with your coffee every day, no matter what. To be that for someone, to be the place that has everything they need—that’s what convenience means.

A meaningful moment at work
We have a very diverse demographic in our area of south Minneapolis and we have a large Somali customer base. When I first started, the Muslim holiday Eid—which marks the end of Ramadan—came around, and I wanted to learn about its significance. I asked customers what Eid meant to them, and they told me with so much fervor and excitement because someone had actually even asked. They told me about how the prophet Muhammad would break his fast with a date, and we carry Medjool dates in our store. After that, they would bring us plates of food after sundown and want to celebrate with us too. I’ve now learned to speak a couple phrases of Somali.

Continue reading “C-Store Customer Finds a Home Behind the Counter” in the September 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.

Do you have a frontline worker that showcases why convenience jobs are great jobs? We want to hear about them. Submit candidates for NACS Magazine's Faces of the Industry column by emailing news@convenience.org.