Make better decisions with people who understand your business

CStore Connections brings together convenience retail operators who want practical insight, relevant peer perspective, and ideas they can put to work immediately.

This is an operator-driven event designed for leaders who value candid discussion and real-world experience. The focus is on the issues that matter most right now and the conversations that help you move forward with confidence. Attendees leave with clearer priorities, practical ideas, and a plan they can put into action.

Hot topics. Real operators. Practical takeaways.

The agenda is built around the challenges convenience retailers are actively managing, including:

Driving profitable foodservice growth
Staffing, leadership development, and building strong store-level culture
Using technology to improve efficiency without adding complexity
Merchandising and pricing strategies in a competitive environment
Responding to evolving consumer expectations

These topics are explored through interactive discussions, peer-led sessions, and small-group formats that encourage participation and shared learning.

Built around conversation, not presentations.

With more than 40 retailer speakers and discussion leaders from chains of all sizes, CStore Connections puts operator voices at the center of the experience. Fan-favorite Burning Issue Exchanges bring retailers together in structured roundtable discussions to unpack real challenges, exchange ideas, and leave with approaches they can apply immediately.

Inspiring keynote sessions, including this year’s Nate Brazier from Stinker Stores, provide perspective on leadership, culture, and innovation, with clear relevance to performance and long-term growth.

A community that shows up ready to engage.

CStore Connections is intentionally designed to encourage meaningful interaction. Focused educational sessions, breakout groups, shared meals, and dedicated networking time create space for honest conversation and relationship-building.

Attendees leave with more than information. They leave with perspective, peer insight, and a clearer plan for what comes next.

Who should attend.

CStore Connections is built for the convenience store community, with a strong focus on regional and independent operators,including small, mid-sized, and family-owned chains who are growth-minded and eager to explore new strategies, innovations, and opportunities to expand their business.

If you are responsible for strategy, operations, merchandising, marketing, foodservice, or technology, you will find sessions and conversations grounded in the real-world realities of running a convenience retail business.

What retailers say.

“Hands down one of the best opportunities to connect with like-minded colleagues in our industry.”

“The energy, collaboration, and insights shared made it one of the most valuable events I’ve attended.”

“Of all the events I am able to attend, this one is by far my favorite.”

2025 Gallery

2026 Keynote Speaker

Nate Brazier

Nate Brazier, CEO of Stinker Stores, CStore Decisions’ 2025 Chain of the Year award winner, shares an inspiring keynote on the power of company culture. Discover how a strong, values-driven culture can drive performance, attract top talent and foster innovation — and learn firsthand how Brazier has strategically shaped a thriving culture at Stinker Stores, a 105-store chain with locations in Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado, in a relatively short time. Every organization has a culture — whether it’s intentionally developed or passively formed. If you’re not actively investing in it, you’re relinquishing control over what it becomes. In this keynote, Brazier shares why culture isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a strategic advantage — and how leaders can create a thriving, engaged organization from the inside out.