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

Inside the convenience store, patrons chatted cheerfully as they waited for the shrimp fried rice and fish strips that make Food N’ Geaux a neighborhood staple.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

About 80% of urban households in Taiwan visit a convenience store at least once a week.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 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

Drinking water came from a convenience store miles away—without permission, the Warden or one of the children quickly shoved their plastic jugs under an outside spigot and hoped no one saw them.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French