CHICAGO — The 2025 NACS Show concludes today with laughter, applause and a touch of nostalgia as filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes, best known as Jay and Silent Bob from the cult classic Clerks, set in a New Jersey convenience store, take the stage at McCormick Place. Their keynote mixes humor and reflection with a heartfelt tribute to the convenience retail industry.
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“NACS is Comic-Con for C-stores,” Smith told guests at the Arie Crown Theater. “C-stores are a big part of my mythos … they’re in my blood forever.”
It was a fitting finale to a week that started with curiosity and ended with connection, highlighting an industry evolving through creativity, collaboration, and, most importantly, people.
From Curiosity to Commitment
Across the show’s 1,200 booths, the initial sense of exploration shifted to targeted collaboration. Retailers who spent the first two days sampling, testing, and walking the floor returned Thursday and Friday ready to take action, turning conversations into commitments.
Education sessions shifted from strategy to execution, emphasizing store design, employee engagement, and hands-on innovation. “Innovation that sticks” became a common phrase in hallways, as development included clear protein drinks, caffeinated pouches, nostalgic candies, infrared chicken cases, and AI-driven inventory systems—all representing the tangible future of convenience retail.
Two Small Operator Workshops also drew engaged audiences by focusing on foundational business skills. Understanding Store Economics guided participants through the numbers behind success, from category margins to productivity and profit. Developing Your Team encouraged leaders to coach with empathy, identify strengths and create growth plans that build lasting engagement. Both sessions emphasized a hands-on, collaborative approach designed to strengthen local operators through shared learning and real-world insight.
The message was consistent at every stage: innovation thrives when teams stay quick, focused, and collaborative. Companies described using short, iterative “sprints” to test and scale new ideas, proof that the industry’s creative engine is running at full speed.
Leadership and Legacy
Thursday’s general session marked a moment of transition as longtime NACS President and CEO Henry Armour prepared to pass the torch to Frank Gleeson, who will assume the role in January 2026. Joined by former Circle K CEO Brian Hannasch, the three leaders discussed the next phase of growth, balancing global ambitions with local execution and ensuring that culture and mission move hand in hand.
Armour reminded attendees of what makes the channel unique. “This channel is very unique in having personal relationships with its customers,” he said. “We have to be careful not to give it away.”
Gleeson expanded on that theme, emphasizing that people remain the foundation of the industry’s success. “One thing that sets us apart as leaders, and NACS as an organization, is that we value our frontlines,” he said. “The best leaders must have a service and hospitality mindset for their people, so that their people can have it for customers. That’s where the magic really happens, especially because we are a high-touch business.”
Women Leading the Way in Convenience
That focus on people and leadership carried over to one of the event’s most inspiring education sessions, Women Leading the Way in Convenience. The panel included Elizabeth Hoffer, Vice President of Weigel’s Stores; Danielle Holloway, Senior Director of Industry Engagement at Altria Group Distribution Company; and Elizabeth Salceda, Director of Operations at Family Express Corporation.
The three personal stories of growth, resilience, and mentorship provide an honest view of what it takes to succeed in a changing industry. Hoffer explained how servant leadership and humility influenced her career and her company’s shift toward a food-first approach. “I think a big strength women bring to the workforce is humility,” she said. “We have empathy for our employees.”
Hoffer also reflected on the challenge of finding one’s voice in leadership. “I think sometimes we, as women, tend not to find our voice, or we don’t use it well,” she said. “Sometimes we’re afraid that if we’re out there, and we say what we’re going to say, we’re going to be too much for somebody.”
Holloway discussed the importance of inclusion, diversity, and engagement as key drivers of long-term performance. Meanwhile, Salceda, who immigrated to the United States at age 13 and advanced from associate manager to executive, emphasized adaptability as a crucial leadership skill. “Multitasking is a huge strength that women have because of their perspective. They can shift their paradigm,” she said.
The panel’s discussion highlighted a common message: the future of the convenience industry relies on leaders who combine empathy with accountability and create opportunities for the next generation to thrive.
Collaboration and Positivity
Annie Gauthier, 2024–2025 NACS Treasurer and CFO/Co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Company (Y-Not Stop), delivered her first address as NACS chair on Wednesday. Speaking candidly about her gratitude for the industry and its people, she captured the event’s collaborative and forward-looking tone.
“I’m so excited to work here. I want to grow with y’all. I’m so inspired by what y’all are doing,” she said, her enthusiasm drawing warm applause from attendees.
Her final piece of advice summed up the week’s recurring theme. “Focus on your team members, keep them happy, and they will keep your customers happy. Keep it real.”
Her remarks reflected the cooperative spirit that defined the 2025 NACS Show: a gathering driven by optimism, authenticity, and genuine exchange of ideas.
Flavor, Function and Feeling
On the expo floor, exhibitors continued to blur the line between indulgence and purpose. Cinnamon-spiced snacks, pickle-inspired chips, and globally influenced sauces shared space with hydration sticks, clear proteins, and energy innovations that addressed shoppers’ functional needs.
That convergence of flavor, function and emotion captured the show’s larger theme. The convenience channel continues to thrive by adapting to modern lifestyles while holding on to the familiar comforts that make it personal.
The Heart Behind the Counter
Friday morning's General Session brought the event full circle as Smith and Mewes took the stage to reflect on how a simple convenience store shaped their lives and careers.
Long before he became a filmmaker, Smith dreamed of working in a convenience store. “I always wanted a job there as a kid, it just appealed to me,” he recalled. That curiosity led to Clerks, the 1994 indie classic that turned the daily rhythms of a corner store into pop-culture canon.
“The convenience store is the great equalizer,” Smith said. “Everyone shops there. Everyone needs a quick bite or lottery tickets.”
For Smith, that counter has never stopped being a sacred space. “I’m always trying to go back to Quick Stop, that’s why we’re making Clerks 4!”
It is also where his lifelong friendship with Mewes began. “C-stores are the root of my and Jason’s relationship,” he said, a reminder that few people owe more to the power of a convenience store than the duo who built a career on one.
‘So Much Great Stuff!’
Before taking the stage, Mewes toured the NACS Show floor and was visibly impressed by what he saw. “So much great stuff!” he said, reflecting the sense of discovery that has defined the event from the start.
That enthusiasm echoed what attendees felt all week: awe at the pace of change, pride in their shared identity and excitement about what is coming next. Whether discussing AI-enabled supply chains or new approaches to foodservice, exhibitors and retailers agreed that convenience retail is not simply adapting to transformation but leading it.
Rolling Credits on an Industry in Motion
As the final expo session ended and attendees headed home, the atmosphere at McCormick Place was unmistakable: a blend of exhaustion, inspiration, and pride.
Few figures could have concluded the event with more symbolic resonance than Kevin Smith, a storyteller whose career started in a convenience store and whose message still emphasizes the significance of that experience.
For an industry built on immediacy, the 2025 NACS Show offered a lasting reminder that connection remains its most valuable currency.
As Smith put it, NACS truly is “Comic-Con for convenience,” a gathering where passion meets purpose and where every transaction, like every story, begins with a simple hello across the counter.
The next NACS Show will be in Las Vegas, NV, with the Conference running October 6–9, 2026, and the Expo held October 7–9, 2026.
