E
very year, the NACS Show brings together
convenience and fuel retailing industry
professionals for four days of learning,
buying and selling, networking and fun,
all designed to help participants grow
their bottom line. Join us this year in Atlanta, Georgia,
from October 18-21 at the Georgia World Congress
Center—where all roads lead to profits.
With a 410,000+ net-square-foot expo and 1,200+
exhibiting companies showcasing thousands of
products, the NACS Show is the only event of the
year for leading c-store operators to find ideas,
discover new products and develop profitable
business connections.
54 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 54
8/18/16 5:04 PM
PLAN AHEAD
With 410,000+ net-square-feet of expo, more than
1,200 exhibitors and dozens and dozens of education
sessions, you need a strategy to navigate the convention
center and make the most of your few days in Atlanta.
Heed our sage advice: Plan ahead!
Make a list of the goals you want to achieve at
the NACS Show. Research the exhibiting companies, explore the education sessions, and determine
ahead of time what you would want to see and learn
onsite. Then use that knowledge to maximize your
time at the Show. NACS has an online tool to help
you collect and store your personalized Plan: the
My Show Planner.
The My Show Planner combines planning and logistics into one easy-to-use tool. You can find exhibitors,
sort by location (booth number, product category and
exhibitor name) browse events and add personal
appointments to save time and make the most of your
visit. This online planning tool automatically syncs
Plan Your NACS Show
Experience and Link to
Our Mobile App Today
at nacsshow.com/
myshowplanner!
with the official NACS Show mobile app, seamlessly
transferring over all of your information so you can
access (and update) your personal plan wherever
you are.
The best part is having your schedule at your fingertips throughout the entire NACS Show. To get started,
visit nacsshow.com/myshowplanner.
BAG IT!
Now in its fourth year, the NACS Show Product
Bag is one of the most sought-after giveaways at
the NACS Show! Distributed to the first 3,000
retailers, the bag is full of samples and brochures
of new and exciting products found at the NACS
Show Expo. Get yours while supplies last!
56 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 56
8/18/16 12:22 PM
Schedule of Events
Among the NACS Show education sessions, networking activities and the expo,
you'll find everything you need to help you operate a successful business.
Tuesday, October 18
7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Registration
10:00 am – 5:30 pmCool New Products Preview Room—Retailers only
10:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACS HQ
10:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACSPAC Lounge
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Hunter Club Lounge
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
General Session featuring Merit Gest
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Education Sessions
5:30 pm – 7:00 pmNACS Kick-Off Party (ticketed event)
General Session featuring Merit Gest
Imagine a future where every employee at every level of
the 154,000-plus convenience store universe was
worthy of a Most Valuable Player award. Imagine a
future where everyone you interacted with, from truck
drivers and cashiers to sales reps and managers,
treated you like an MVP and owned their role with
passion and commitment. Now, imagine laughing and
learning as our keynote speaker, MERIT GEST, kicks off our conference and shares what’s
possible for our future: MVPs everywhere!
Wednesday, October 19
7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Registration
8:00 am – 9:55 am
Education Sessions
8:00 am – 11:30 amCool New Products Preview Room—Retailers only
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hunter Club Lounge
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACS HQ
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACSPAC Lounge
10:15 am – 11:30 amGeneral Session featuring Steve Gross
11:30 am – 5:30 pm
Expo
11:30 am – 5:30 pmCool New Products Preview Room—Open to all attendees
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Global Colleagues Reception
5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
College Football Hall of Fame reception (ticketed event)
General Session featuring Steve Gross
STEVE GROSS is the founder and chief playmaker of the
Life is Good Playmakers, a 501(c)(3) public charity, which
partners with frontline professionals—such as teachers,
social workers and child life specialists—who dedicate
their lives to helping children overcome poverty, violence
and illness. These Playmakers use the power of play to
build healing, life-changing relationships with the children
in their care. At the heart of his work, Steve helps others access their own playfulness so that they
can build resilience and bring greater joy, connection, courage and creativity to their work and lives.
58 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 58
8/18/16 12:22 PM
Thursday, October 20
7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Registration
8:00 am – 9:55 am
Education Sessions
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hunter Club Lounge
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Cool New Products Preview Room
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACS HQ
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
NACSPAC Lounge
10:15 am – 11:30 amGeneral Session featuring Ideas 2 Go
11:30 am – 5:30 pm
Expo
Ideas
General Session featuring Ideas 2 Go
With IDEAS 2 GO, retailers from around the country
invite us into their stores and provide a video tour of
their best ideas—whether quick ideas you can implement tomorrow or ideas to consider in your next
strategic planning session. This year includes a special
segment on exceptional retailers in Ireland.
Friday, October 21
7:30 am – 2:30 pm
Registration
8:00 am – 9:00 amGeneral Session featuring Peyton Manning
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
Cool New Products Preview Room
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
Hunter Club Lounge
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
NACS HQ
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
NACSPAC Lounge
9:00 am – 1:30 pm
Expo
General Session featuring
Peyton Manning
Closing out the 2016 NACS Show is legendary
quarterback PEYTON MANNING, the NFL’s only
five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro
Bowl selection. This past season, Manning led the
Denver Broncos to a 24-10 win over the Carolina
Panthers in Super Bowl 50, making him the first
starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
For his actions off the field, Manning was honored as the recipient of the Byron “Whizzer”
White Humanitarian Award and the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2005, as well as
the Bart Starr Award in 2015.
In addition, Manning and his wife, Ashley, established the PeyBack Foundation in 1999 to
promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by providing leadership and growth
opportunities for children at risk. The PeyBack Foundation has provided more than $10 million
to at-risk youth through its grants and programs since its inception. He also continues to
maintain a strong relationship with St. Vincent’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, which in
2007 was renamed the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent.
60 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 60
8/18/16 12:22 PM
WHAT’S NEW FOR
YOUR STORES?
Each area of the expo gives attendees a one-of-a-kind,
hands-on experience that can’t be matched anywhere
else. Explore more than 1,200+ exhibitors, including
the New Exhibitor Area with nearly 200 first-time
NACS Show exhibitors.
Introduced last year at the NACS Show, the New
Exhibitor Area was wildly popular. This year the area
will streamline time spent exploring new exhibitors by
organizing them into the five categories that mirror the
full expo: Facility Development and Store Operations;
Foodservice Equipment and Foodservice Programs;
Merchandise, Candy and Snacks; Fuel Equipment and
Services; and Technology.
To see what’s new for the convenience store industry,
make your first stop the Cool New Products Preview
Room. Acting as a launch pad for the future, the Cool
New Products Preview Room is just what its name
implies. It’s loaded with new innovations, products, services and other growth opportunities divided into seven
categories: Green (eco-friendly), Health & Wellness,
New Design, New Flavors, New to the Industry, New
Services and New Technology. The Preview Room offers
attendees the use of hand-held scanners to capture the
products they’re interested in, and the ability to print a
list of what they scanned as they head off to visit each
booth at the NACS Show Expo.
62 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 62
8/18/16 12:22 PM
JUST FOR TECHIES
Now in its third year, Technology Edge provides
industry retailer technology professionals a more
personalized and high-value experience of learning,
connecting and accessing new solutions at the
NACS Show. This forward-looking program teams
up with NACS technology partner Conexxus to
bring more value, deeper education and broader
solutions to attendees. Think of it as a specialized
program within the NACS Show—designed
exclusively for technology professionals.
Over two and a half days, attendees will
benefit from:
• Heightened education sessions on critical issues such
as data security, EMV and customer engagement.
• Facilitated group discussions on highly relevant
technology topics affecting our industry.
•C
omfortable networking opportunities that
make it easy to build relationships with other
tech professionals.
• Access to new tech products and solutions at the
NACS Show expo, while taking advantage of the
Technology Edge Solutions Center: a hub to meet
the day’s speakers and connect with peers.
TECHNOLOGY EDGE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 18
2:00 pm – 2:50 pm
How Consumers and Retailers Are Re-imagining
Retail Using Technology
3:05 pm – 3:55 pm
Technology Edge CIO Panel
4:10 pm – 5:00 pm
Are You Prepared for EMV?
Wednesday, October 19
8:00 am – 8:50 am
PCI 411: How Stores Comply with Updated
PCI Version
8:00 am – 8:50 am
Customer Engagement with Technology
9:05 am – 9:55 am
Group Forum – Customer Engagement
11:30 am – 5:30 pm
Expo and Technology Edge Solutions Center
Thursday, October 20
8:00 am – 8:50 am
Technical Tools for Data Protection
8:00 am – 8:50 am
Creating a Culture of Data Protection
9:05 am – 9:55 am
Group Forum – EMV
11:30 am – 5:30 pm
Expo and Technology Edge Solutions Center
Join the industry’s technology professionals in
Atlanta to collaborate, innovate and gain a competitive advantage for your company with Technology
Edge at the NACS Show. For more information or to
register, visit nacsshow.com/techedge.
64 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 64
8/18/16 12:22 PM
EVENING NETWORKING
Get a jump start on your NACS Show by attending
the Kick-Off Party Tuesday night, October 18.
This year’s party will take place at Restaurant Row,
located just down the street from the Georgia World
Congress Center. Mix and mingle with thousands of
industry peers and experts over a few cocktails and
make lasting connections with retailers just like you.
66 SEPTEMBER 2016
On Wednesday night,
October 19, get ready for
another evening event, this
time at the new College
Hall of Fame. From delicious food to cocktails to
great friends and fun, this is
a can’t-miss event.
Atlanta’s College Football Hall of Fame spans almost
95,000 square feet and features about 1,000 players
and 200 coaches, representing 305 schools. With more
than five million people having coached or played the
game, that makes the College Football Hall of Fame
an extremely selective group of individuals.
The Hall originally resided in Kings Mill, Ohio,
from 1978 to 1992, and later relocated to South
Bend, Indiana, from 1995 to 2012. The new Hall of
Fame, a state-of-the-art tribute to the game, moved
to Atlanta in 2014.
Three floors, five themed galleries and more than
50 interactive exhibits—including an indoor football field and a three-story wall of football helmets—
await NACS Show attendees.
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 66
8/18/16 12:22 PM
RESTAURANT CENTRAL
Did you know that in the past five years, Atlanta chefs have collected more
than 50 semifinalist nominations for James Beard Awards? In 2016, that
included the categories of outstanding baker, outstanding restauranteur and
rising star chef. With more than 80 new restaurants opening in Atlanta last
year alone, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in dining options during
the NACS Show, whether you need to accommodate a group for dinner or are
just looking for something casual with good food and drinks.
We’ve got you covered here with all the latest and greatest restaurants
Atlanta has to offer, as well as the local crowd favorites. Check out recommendations from the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau on page 70 for each of
the city’s five main dining neighborhoods.
Want more on the hottest and best restaurants in Atlanta? Check out
atlanta.net/blog/category/dining.
68 SEPTEMBER 2016
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 68
8/18/16 12:22 PM
BUCKHEAD
• South City Kitchen (3350 Peachtree Road
#175) This eatery offers inventive takes on
Southern favorites plus a fireplace.
Local Favorite
• Watershed on Peachtree (1820 Peachtree
Road NW): Watershed serves local,
seasonal, soulful dishes inspired by
Southern tradition and prepared with
present day artistry. Local Favorite
DOWNTOWN
• Polaris (265 Peachtree Street): Rotating
blue dome atop the Hyatt Regency with a
1960s vibe. New Spot
• White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails
(270 Peachtree Street): Airy, modernrustic hangout serving Southern-tinged
New American fare & specialty cocktails.
Local Favorite
EASTSIDE
• Beetlecat (299 North Highland Avenue
NE): Latest from Chef-restaurateur Ford
Fry, offering an upscale oyster bar and
cocktail lounge. New Spot
• BoccaLupo (753 Edgewood Avenue NE):
Low-key, intimate dining room serving up
home-style Italian cooking & creative
cocktails. Local Favorite
• The Cockentrice at Krog Street Market
(99 Krog Street): Airy modern restaurant
specializing in charcuterie & American
food made with freshly butchered meat.
New Spot
• Kevin Rathbun Steak (154 Krog Street):
Kevin Rathbun Steak is a prime steakhouse located in the Inman Park area of
Atlanta and has been recognized or
mentioned as one of the top steakhouses
in the United States, as well as one of the
top steakhouses in Atlanta. Local Favorite
• Ponce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon
Avenue NE):
o Biltong Bar: Food-hall hangout offering
savory dried beef & other South African
snacks, plus craft cocktails. New Spot
o Brezza Cucina: Elevated Italian fare,
including handmade pastas, served in a
bright, breezy bistro with a full bar. New Spot
o City Winery: Hip, intimate venue with a
New American restaurant, bar & on-site
winery inside Ponce City Market. New Spot
70 SEPTEMBER 2016
• Staplehouse (541 Edgewood Avenue SE):
New American restaurant & bar with
prepaid tasting menus & à la carte dining
benefiting a charity. New Spot
MIDTOWN
• Empire State South (999 Peachtree
Street NE): Hugh Acheson takes a modern
approach to creating authentic Southern
dishes, relying on the beautiful foods of
this region. Local Favorite
• South City Kitchen (1144 Crescent
Avenue NE): Set in a 1920s bungalow, this
eatery offers inventive takes on Southern
favorites plus a fireplace. Local Favorite
WESTSIDE
• Antico Pizza Napoletana (1093 Hemphill
Avenue): Busy family-run pizzeria near
Georgia Tech known for brick-oven pies,
with communal seating & BYOB.
Local Favorite
• Barcelona Wine Bar (1085 Howell Mill
Road NW): Barcelona offers the neighborhood a delicious array of Spanish small
and large plates that turn the mere act of
dining out into a joyous communal
experience amongst friends and family.
Local Favorite
• Cooks & Soldiers (691 14th Street NW):
Upscale restaurant serving Basque tapas
& larger shareable portions cooked on a
wood-burning grill. New Spot
• JCT. Kitchen & Bar (1198 Howell Mill
Road): Updated Southern fare in hip space
with late-night live music, plus upstairs
bar with skyline view. Local Favorite
•O
rmsby's (1170 Howell Mill Road):
Stylish speakeasy with craft beers &
pub fare, bocce, shuffleboard, darts
& pool tables. Local Favorite
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 70
8/18/16 12:22 PM
Essential Inventory Management and
Loss Prevention
Tuesday, October 18 | 2:30 pm – 4:50 pm
Out of stocks? Storage issues? Small store? No problem.
In this session, you’ll learn techniques to make the
most out of the space you have in your store, from
inventory turns, shelf space analysis, velocity reports,
product placement, product variety and shrinkage
measurements to gain additional profits through
knowledge of your day-to-day operation. The last part
of the session will involve identifying shrink, its effects
on gross profits and methods to reduce inventory loss.
INDEPENDENT
OPERATOR TRAINING
Several training sessions at the NACS Show are designed
exclusively for independent retailers who operate five
stores or less. Roll up your sleeves and dig into the topics
designed just for you. Some courses allow attendees to
obtain nationally recognized certification. The sessions
are free; however registration to the NACS Show is
separate and required. Advanced registration for the
classes is strongly recommended and walk-ins may be
accommodated if space is available.
Topics include:
Financial Ghostbusters
Tuesday, October 18 | 12:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Are you making money, or are you chasing ghosts?
Ghosts are those profit dollars we can’t account for—we
have no idea where they went or even if they were there
at all. In this fresh take on an age old topic, this seminar
will delve into the value of a good P&L statement and
how that information can help you make better business
decisions. Attendees will identify negative effects of not
knowing the differences between a cash flow business
and a profitable business. Exercises include a break even
analysis, the use of the key business formulas and a case
study using model P&L statements.
72 SEPTEMBER 2016
Positive Upselling: No Questions Asked
Wednesday, October 19 | 7:30 am – 9:50 am
The CSR will be the first to tell you they don’t like
upselling. They feel they are pressuring their customers
and they hate to constantly be told “No.” Operators will
address the obstacles of suggestive selling, and how to
re-train their employees on positive upselling techniques. Exercises include calculating the impact of an
add-on sale, identifying types of purchases and bundling opportunities. Students will use role playing to
better understand LJT Management’s “Tell them don’t
sell them” upselling approach.
Growing Your Customer Base: Gasoline, Store,
Car Wash-Pricing Strategies
Thursday, October 20 | 7:30 am – 9:50 am
The theme of this training track is change. If you always
do things the same way, you will always get the same
results. This training track engages an operator how to
"Shake Things Up" to grow the business. Topics include
customer loyalty, aggressive marketing, increasing the
customer's use of their loyalty cards, branded credit
cards and social media. In addition, growth includes
implementing aggressive competitive selling programs
for profit centers including QSR, prepared food programs, and car wash. Attendees will develop a specific
growth business plan in this training track.
Go to ljtusa.com/nacs to register for these
training sessions.
nacsonline.com
54–73_NACS_Feature_NACSshow_FINAL.indd 72
8/18/16 12:22 PM