Convenience Store

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Since 1961, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) has been an advocate for the convenience retailing industry, providing industry information, knowledge and connections to ensure the competitive viability of its members' businesses.

Membership: While 49 of the top 50 convenience stores in the United States are members of NACS, the majority of its members are small, independent operators. More than 70 percent of its total membership is comprised of companies that operate 10 stores or less. This membership base roughly tracks the industry as a whole. Of the 145,000 convenience stores in the United States, 62 percent are owned and operated by someone who only has one store. Visit NACS Online to learn more about NACS Membership.

Resources: NACS Online includes a frequently updated blog, NACS TV video clips, NACS Daily news stories that are published each business day, and a variety of other resources for both retailers and suppliers. NACS members receive free subscriptions to NACS Magazine, the association's award-winning monthly magazine.

Events: NACS hosts a variety of targeted industry events, as well as the NACS Show, the industry's signature event, which annually draws more than 21,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibiting companies.

SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to the education of entrepreneurs and to the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Visit www.score.org for counseling resources, a wide range of support and guidance. On the "Ask SCORE" section of the site, you can seek advice from seasoned business counselors, who aim to provide an answer within 48 hours.

You can also receive free one-on-one small- business counseling service by connecting with a local SCORE representative. You can find your nearest SCORE chapter by calling 1.800.634.0245 or visiting www.score.org and clicking on "Find SCORE."

The Association of Small Business Development Centers represents the most comprehensive small- business assistance network in the United States. The network's mission is to help new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and existing businesses to remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy.

Hosted by leading universities, colleges and state economic development agencies, and funded in part through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, about 1,000 service centers are available to provide no-cost consulting and low-cost training.

For more information, visit www.asbdc-us.org.

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