7-Eleven Bowen Hills, which opened in August 2024, is a stand-alone convenience store located in the inner north-east of Brisbane, just 3.2 kilometres from the CBD. Positioned next to the Brisbane Showgrounds, the store benefits from the high foot traffic generated by more than 250 annual events, including the Royal Brisbane Show, which attracts over 340,000 visitors.
The surrounding area is a rapidly growing hub with more than 5,000 residents, alongside offices, schools, hotels, and short-stay accommodations. With extensive development currently underway, the store is well-placed to serve an evolving community.
Marc Costabile, Chief Retail Officer at 7-Eleven Australia, says that 7-Eleven Bowen Hills is the first store to bring to life 7-Eleven’s new ambition which is for every Australian to say ‘7-Eleven is My Convenient Neighbourhood Store’.
A new approach to convenience
7-Eleven Bowen Hills has been designed with a significantly different range, offer, and pricing model compared to a traditional Australian convenience store. The store’s footprint is 281 square metres, making it larger than the average 7-Eleven store, which typically measures 203 square metres.
This expanded space allows for a broader selection of food and grocery items, and the inclusion of innovative equipment enables an extended range of fresh, fast-prepared food.
“Our average 7-Eleven stocks approximately 1,500 items, and 7-Eleven Bowen Hills opened with 2,000. However, within the first month, it was clear the neighbourhood wanted more, particularly in grocery essentials and food on the go, so we had 3,000 lines ranged by early October,” Costabile explains.
The store’s range includes American candy, noodles, frozen foods, dairy, deli items, health and beauty products, ready meals, cleaning supplies, and take-home drinks, in addition to an expanded selection of snacks, packaged drinks, and confectionery.
“While the range is already noticeably larger, it is continuing to evolve to meet the needs of the neighbourhood. The team have responded to requests from their customers at speed, introducing picnic supplies, stationery, and party goods. Additionally, this store ranges basic personal protective equipment like safety vests and gloves. Given the amount of construction as well as the event organisers at nearby Brisbane Showgrounds, these items are ranged to meet the needs of the neighbourhood,” says Costabile.
Food around the clock
Food on the go is a core component of the store’s offering, with choices available for all meal and snacking occasions throughout the day and night.
“7-Eleven Bowen Hills has an extended food range including hot chicken and chips, pizza slices, bake-in-store pastries, dairy and alternative milk coffee machines, sushi and onigiri in addition to our traditional range of bespoke hot pastries, sandwiches, salads, and ready meals,” Costabile states.
A digital-first experience
Digital integration is a key part of the 7-Eleven Bowen Hills experience, as Costabile explains that the site is the fourth highest store without fuel in its network for app transactions including rewards, coffee discounts, and Velocity points.
“The store features a traditional counter but offers payments via the app and a self-serve kiosk. By providing the choice of cash or card, as well as face-to-face or self-serve payment options, customers can choose the solution that best meets their individual needs for interaction, payment type, and speed.”
The store also supports last-mile retailing through 7-Eleven Delivery, Tipple, UberEats, Menulog, and DoorDash.
“Given the local neighbourhood has many short-term accommodation options and provides accommodation services for the nearby Brisbane airport for flight crews, flight delays and cancellations, providing access to essentials such as food and toiletries 24/7 via delivery platforms is a critical service,” says Costabile.
Embedded in the community
The true measure of a convenience store’s success is how well it integrates into its community. 7-Eleven Bowen Hills operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a team that has quickly become a part of the local routine.
Dom Gills, Field Manager and the first Store Manager of 7-Eleven Bowen Hills, says that to learn about what makes the Bowen Hills neighbourhood what it is, all you need to do is watch the seats out the front of the store.
“On weekdays, you see tradies and office workers grabbing breakfast, then returning for morning tea and another coffee. Lunchtime is customers enjoying sandwiches, salads, sushi, hot pastry, pizza by the slice, or chicken and chips, usually with a drink or a snack. Afternoons are all about treats across snacking and confectionery.
“The early evening sees office workers and residents grabbing a ready meal or essential groceries for the evening meal, as well as people sitting and enjoying the hot and chilled food after work. The delivery drivers walk past the seats picking up orders all day, every day. Weekends are all about tourists and visitors grabbing food and drinks before or after their event or buying groceries to make a meal in their accommodation.”
Costabile believes the store’s ability to adapt to its customers will set the standard for future convenience retailing in Australia.
“Our customers and their needs will be what evolves our offer store by store in the future. Being able to adapt to meet the needs of the Bowen Hills neighbourhood, and to communities all across the country, will redefine convenience in Australia. We are excited to work with our franchisees, store teams, and supplier partners to achieve our ambition in the years ahead.”
This article was originally published in the April/May issue of Convenience and Impulse Retailing magazine.
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