1. 10 JULY 2016 nacsonline.com
N
ot long ago, every small
town had a general store.
Customers could buy
soda, candy, food and
tobacco. Feed and farm-
ing supplies were offered,
too. Frequently, the
store housed the town’s
only post office, telephone and pharmacy. These
factors made general stores popular for socializing
and doing business. Today,mostgeneralstoreshave
disappeared.Buttheimportanceofacasual,central
gatheringplacecontinues to be at the heart of small,
rural communities.
In Vinita, Oklahoma, Shout & Sack has been
bringing the community together since 1977. Most
mornings, farmers and ranchers eat breakfast at
the café counter, discussing politics, weather and
cattle prices. The Friday Night Fish Fry is a social
tradition. While the store’s phone is not the only one
in town, customers frequently use it to check sports
scores or the movie schedule down the block.
“They call us ‘the hub,’” said Chris Carter, who
owns the 24-hour store with his wife, Jody. “There’s
a counter with about 10 stools plus booths. People
come in three-piece suits and bib overalls. There’s
the bank president, the big ranchers. They visit, talk
and see everyone. At lunch, booths are always full.”
Shout & Sack attracts everyone from grandmas
to local prison workers. Located on historic Route
66, it also draws tourists and travelers. Daily, the
10,000-square-foot c-store, deli and cafe serves
about 3,000 people—in a town of 6,600. It also
does catering.
QuickHitsSHARING INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECTIONS
IDEAS 2 GO
SMALLTOWN,BIGBRANDIn the cattle ranching town of Vinita, Oklahoma, this local convenience store embraces more
than beer and Bubba.
BY DEBBY GARBATO
At Shout & Sack,
foodservice and
catering—courtesy
of Big Dawg Catering—
comprise about half
of the store’s sales.

2. NACS Magazine JULY 2016 11
From Ships to Chips
Carter spent four years in the U.S. Navy, attaining the
rank of second class petty officer. He attended college
on the G.I. Bill while working in a convenience store
and discovered that he loved working with people.
Carter took sales route jobs with Rainbow Bread
(Bimbo Brand) and Frito-Lay, never abandoning his
dream of owning a c-store. A “dear friend” taught
him to make traditional barbecue. Carter also
worked for free at caterers to learn that business.
His hard work and perseverance has paid off. On
food review websites, everybody from elementary
school teachers to local Cherokee Nation officials
praise Shout & Sack’s foodservice. Carter smokes
meat on-premise, and freshly prepared products
use Angus-certified beef. Catering and foodservice
comprise about half of the store’s sales.
Branding is key—outside the store, the building’s
side features a caricature of Carter’s bulldog and
reads, “Big Dawg BBQ and Smoked Meats.” Inside,
the extensive menu includes Big Dawg Dogs, Chili
Dawgs, a Big Daddy Sandwich and Chubby Chicken
Chest. Then, there is Big Dawg Catering.
“Get it!” is Carter’s marketing slogan and fuel
brand—often accompanied by a cartoon chicken.
“Everything has a name,” he added. “Branding makes
it different. We try to put logos on everything.” Case
in point: Shout & Sack recently introduced sausage
on a stick with pancake batter. Performance was fair.
When christened “Pig on a Pole” (with a pig cartoon),
daily sales went from 12 to 40.
Everybody in the community knows Carter. He is
often seen driving his classic convertible with his
bulldog riding shotgun. Ads feature images of the
dog, as does an ever-changing
assortment of T-shirts, hats and
other items. The Route 66 logo is
also on apparel, which is pur-
chased by residents and tourists.
It appears on floor graphics, cups
and retro outside signage, too.
Hard Work Reaps Rewards
What defines Shout & Sack is its
dedicated employees, fresh food
and of course, Carter himself.
Employees are rigorously
trained—and rigorously rewarded.
Workersmusthelpshopperswhile
attending to details like clean
floors (which are buffed nightly)
and restrooms, which they check
every 20 minutes. Employees cannot use cell phones,
and they must wear ironed khakis and logo shirts.
“If I didn’t learn anything else in the military, I
learned discipline, respect and the value of a dollar,”
said Carter. “There’s a dozen places to eat. There’s a
Walmart and two other c-stores nearby. If you keep
everything clean, people keep coming.”
Training is thorough and turnover is low. Carter
out-pays his competitors, starting at $10 per hour
and topping out at $22. He also provides managerial
bonuses and college scholarships. “[Employees]
earn it and I expect more,” he says.
The entrepreneur’s generosity extends beyond the
store. Carter supports more than a dozen charities,
he gives bikes and skateboards to needy kids and his
provides free food for military personnel in uniform.
There are bonus fountain drinks for children on
school bus trips and complimentary food delivered
to veterans’ and senior citizens’ homes. Supporting
charities fosters brand building, but it is also a way
of “giving back.”
Carterattributeshissuccesstocorevalues.“Ibelieve
inthefourF’s:family,faith,friendsandfun.Ifyoufollow
those, chances are you’ll do all right.” he said.
Debby Garbato is an independent business
journalist and research report analyst who has
covered retail for 25 years. She can be reached
at dgarbatocheers@aol.com.
The 10,000-square-foot
c-store, deli and cafe
serves about 3,000
people a day—in a town
of 6,600.
Branding makes it different. We try to put
logos on everything.”
Owner Chris Carter
smoking the latest
batch of ribs.