The notion that food is a safe-harbor business in rocky economic times is as old as the phrase “People have to eat.” And safer harbors, of course, tend to attract lots of ships, which is why food can be found nearly everywhere today. Perishable and non-perishable groceries, for example, are routinely available in the drug and dollar stores that are blanketing the country. This trend […]

The typical convenience store or travel center buzzes with life amid a steady influx of customers. These businesses blanket the country — with an estimated 150,000 c-stores and 1,230 travel plazas and truck stops. While they charge higher prices than supermarkets, they make up for this by having more convenient locations, shorter cashier lines and longer hours.

But customers aren’t the only frequent visitors: Vendors, too, […]