Let’s face it, Storrs is in the middle of nowhere. While going to a college in a rural area has its benefits and provides some lovely scenery and landscapes, there’s not many options for retail and food. Sure, there’s some good places downtown to grab a bite to eat or buy some dorm essentials, but Storrs would benefit from having more options. And the best way to do so would be for 7-Eleven to make a glorious return to Storrs.
From a business perspective, it would make a ton of sense to reopen a 7-Eleven franchise in Storrs. For starters, there’s open retail space available downtown, so finding a location wouldn’t be a problem. Hell, the location of the old store is still vacant, so that would be a tempting option. Finding people to work in the store wouldn’t be a problem either, as there’s plenty of students looking for jobs who would gladly fill essential positions needed to operate a successful store.
Most importantly, a potential franchise owner shouldn’t worry about the over $1 million price tag of opening this store, as this location would turn out a sizable profit. The store would be immensely popular among students, as there’s no other 24-hour convenience store within walking distance of campus. Having this 24-hour option is great for students, as they’ll be able to purchase dorm supplies and other necessities at a moment’s notice without having to rely on the limited hours of CVS or the Student Union convenience store. Students would now be able to take a quick walk downtown in the middle of the night for some paper towels or other essential supplies instead of waiting until morning for one of the other stores to open. Food and drink sales would be a large source of revenue as 7-Eleven stocks a large variety of all the best dorm snacks and all kinds of drinks. That doesn’t even take into account the hot food section at the front of the store, which would likely be the most popular section of the store. Taquito sales alone would probably be enough to keep the store open. Between snacks and supplies combined, there would be no shortage of money flowing into the store.
Now, I never got to go to the old 7-Eleven in downtown Storrs, as it closed around two years before my time at UConn began. But I’ve had many conversations with upperclassmen who were around while it was still open, and they spoke of many fond memories. For them, going to 7-Eleven was a pilgrimage, as many of these trips occurred after midnight. A late night walk was also a fun thing to do just to get out of the dorm and have some sense of purpose. Through these late night walks, friendships grew stronger and memories were made. The Storrs 7-Eleven was bigger than a business — it was a hub of student life. A place where people would come to meet and hang out. Even if they didn’t buy anything, it was more about the memories and experience.
The return of 7-Eleven to Storrs would be so much more than just a business venture; It would allow current students to experience what the students who came before them got to. Students should be able to carry on the late night adventures of UConn students of the past and continue this tradition to make their own memories of times spent with friends.
To wrap this up simply, the return of 7-Eleven would be a great move, from both a business perspective and student perspective. It would be a great, walkable option for supplies and snacks that other similar stores in Storrs can’t offer and would serve as a hub for students to walk to and hang out.
Man, all this writing is making me crave a 7-Eleven taquito and a can of Liquid Death.
How often do you need paper towels in the middle of the night? If students weren’t buying anything, just using the store to socialize this doesnt help the store meet its financial obligations. How many students do you see walking around at midnight in the middle of February and during the summer there aren’t enough people around to keep open a 24 hour business
Residents and students in Storrs, Connecticut have been calling for 7-Eleven to return to the area. The convenience store chain used to have a location in Storrs, but it closed down in 2018. Many people in the area miss the convenience and affordable prices that 7-Eleven offered.
If 7-Eleven were to return to Storrs, they could benefit from using Price Intelligence Software, such as Priceva. Priceva’s AI-driven software has an unmatched crawling speed, allowing it to quickly compare prices from a range of brands and retailers. This means that 7-Eleven could ensure that they are offering competitive prices on their products in the Storrs area.
Priceva also provides regular price updates and offers high accuracy in price comparison. With online price tracking for brands and retailers, 7-Eleven could easily keep track of competitor pricing and adjust their prices accordingly. Plus, with easy-to-navigate dashboards and ready-made reports, they could quickly analyze pricing trends and make informed decisions.
By returning to Storrs and using Price Intelligence Software like Priceva, 7-Eleven could offer affordable convenience to residents and students while still maintaining profitability. Learn more about how Priceva can help your business at https://priceva.com/price-intelligence.