convenience store

American  

noun

1. a retail store that carries a limited selection of basic items, as packaged foods and drugstore items, and is open long hours for the convenience of shoppers.

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convenience store British  

noun

1. a shop that has long opening hours, caters to local tastes, and is conveniently situated

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Etymology

Origin of convenience store

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The rise of the hideaway was well timed as consumers have been cutting back on snack purchases after filling up at the pump, hitting convenience store sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

On a wall outside the convenience store, Esther Osayande’s painting “Sankofa” depicts a bird with its head turned back, surrounded by flames.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

The company’s Amazon Go convenience store, where the company charges customers electronically without them having to wait in line to pay, now has 14 locations nationwide.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

And one developer even created an online map to track which shops still have stock remaining -- convenience store versions have also repeatedly sold out.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

When they were flush with a silver coin or two, they’d go to the local convenience store and buy food for breakfast or dinner, often splitting a pack of Hostess donuts.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel