convenience store

American  

noun

convenience stores plural

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.

---

convenience store British  

noun

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• convenience stores
  plural

Etymology

Origin of convenience store

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The convenience store chain pointed to strong sales of whole pizzas as well as appetizers and sides, in addition to strength in non-alcoholic beverages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Casey’s began as a general store in Boone, Iowa, in 1968, and has grown to become the third-largest convenience store operator in the U.S.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

In July 2018, 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton took his young son into a Clearwater, Florida, convenience store to purchase snacks.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026

A Japanese convenience store, known as a “combini,” might include rice balls, stationery and clean pairs of socks.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

We stopped outside a convenience store while the man in her front seat got out and bought a loaf of bread.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot