CHARLOTTE, N.C. – 7-Eleven® stores in the Charlotte area are now ready to franchise, and the company is scheduling seminars monthly to introduce these new business opportunities. The country’s largest convenience retailer returned to the Charlotte area earlier this year with the purchase of 55 Sam’s Mart stores.

Already, three stores – 9608 University City Blvd., 7740 Bruton Smith Blvd. and 9701 Sam Furr Road – are in the process of changing to franchise operations.

A 7-Eleven franchise provides an opportunity for individuals, couples or small companies to open their own ready-to-operate convenience stores with the world’s largest operator and franchisor of convenience stores. Franchisees operate approximately 5,070 of 7-Eleven’s U.S. stores.

“Owning a 7-Eleven franchise is a great opportunity for enterprising individuals and couples to have independence, be their own boss and have the support and stability that comes with an established brand,” said Doug Doyle, market manager for 7-Eleven operations in the Charlotte region. “7-Eleven is the standard-bearer of the convenience retailing industry, and we expect our inventory of available stores to move quickly.”

To run their 7-Eleven stores successfully, franchisees are well equipped with all the necessary tools to succeed including popular products like Slurpee® drinks, coffee, Big Bite® hotdog and fresh foods, its sophisticated retailing inventory system and daily delivery. The convenience retailer provides the land, building, utilities, equipment and a turnkey operation with payroll administration, accounting services, advertising and promotions. After seven weeks of hands-on training in a local store, franchisees receive ongoing support from a field consultant who provides ongoing one-on-one support and business counsel.

Bob Powers, a 23-year veteran of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., and former executive with a wine distributorship and logistics firm, is among the first to sign up as a new 7-Eleven franchisee in Charlotte. The local resident knows well the power of 7-Eleven’s franchise and retail information systems.

“When I worked for Anheuser-Busch as the national director for the 7-Eleven account, we marveled at 7-Eleven’s information system and how it allows franchisees to drive their business and beat the competition,” Powers said. “7-Eleven is an established brand name with excellent proprietary products and a franchise system second to none.”

Powers added that his wife and six children now live in Charlotte, a place he describes as incredible, so becoming a franchisee of a 7-Eleven store here was an easy decision. He took over the operation of the 7-Eleven store at 7740 Bruton Smith Blvd. on Oct. 8, the week leading up to the Bank of America 500 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 13.

He also plans to add two more 7-Eleven stores to his business portfolio this year – one located at 12710 South Tryon St. in November and the other at 8315 Steel Creek Road in December.

Individuals who are interested in learning more about 7-Eleven’s franchise system, business model and the benefits of franchising can attend one of the corporation’s free franchise seminars in the Charlotte-area. Upcoming seminars will be held Embassy Suites Hotel in Concord, N.C. Because space is limited, an RSVP is necessary. For more information and to register for an upcoming seminar, please visit www.franchise.7-Eleven.com .

7-Eleven entered the franchising business in 1964 with the purchase of 127 franchised Speedee Marts in California and has since been a leader in franchising for nearly 50 years. In Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2012 Top 500 Franchise Companies, 7-Eleven ranked #3.

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