I have been in the convenient retail (convenience stores) business since 1989.  During my time in this industry I have learned al lot about people and the business.

One of the first things I learned after starting my career with Kum & Go as an Iowa City Kum & Go manager is shopping in a c-store is A LOT easier than running one!  I also learned that working in a c-store was a whole lot more fun (except for cleaning the men’s restroom the day after an Iowa home football game) than shopping in one!

Ordering merchandise, receiving merchandise, building displays, trying to figure out what students wanted to buy (besides beer) were all fun things to be doing as a 22 year old just out of college worker.  I figured out that I loved the retail cycle.

This could be a genetic thing I received from the Foy/Burns side of my family DNA.  My Grandpa and Grandma Burns were southeastern South Dakota grocery store tycoons in the 50’s and 60’s.  Well, they had 2 stores – that’s tycoon worthy in my dictionary.

One of the most important traits that determine the success of any retail establish is location.

The retail establishment, no matter how big or beautiful it is, has to be somewhere where it can be seen and accessed by customers.  All others traits of the business are mute without a location that is both visible and accessible.  Grandpa and Grandma’s Burns IGA Markets were both located on Main Streets in their towns.

“OK, so how does all this relate to your Rock?” you ask.  Well here it comes:

With regards to brain tumors, accessibility and location are among the important characteristics.  In the Rock’s case, he IS accessible and he IS in a good location.  Good access for the Rock means he can be taken out surgically and good location for the Rock means that his presence in my head is causing minimal effects on me.

So there you have it.  What a good convenience store and a “good” brain tumor have in common.

No go out and support your local convenience store – preferably a Kum & Go if there is one in your neighborhood.

Greg

1953 Burns Market IGA - Beresford, SD