Stores show dedication this season

To independent and chain convenient stores alike,

Let me begin by thanking you for your tireless work every day of the
year. Maintaining openness on days when it seems even the Earth
has postponed its daily rotation is nothing short of
outstanding.

By doing so, you provide timely resources to those patrons who
only barter with you on holidays as they see that as an excuse to
come visit you (and their extended loved ones). However, this is
not the main point of this essay.

That is to address an unspoken practice that you all engage in that
truly shows America still stands for unity, acceptance and
kindness. The practice is one of allowing competitor coffee refill
mugs to be refilled at a price set by your store or chain.

That price was originally set to reward those who purchased your
unique refill mug at a price upward of $3. The idea was to create a
repeating customer base. Not a bad idea at all!

Somewhere, someone saw that as unacceptable and honored a
patron one cold, dark, winter’s weekday morning. The
cup’s origin was most likely unrecognizable to that
seven-hour-into-the-shift cashier.

It had a logo of “Scot Shop Convenience Store” with
no mention of city or state of origin. It was notable, however, that
this cup was a commuter veteran with a good portion of the label
scratched or washed away. No doubt, the mug was clean and up
to refill regulations. More importantly, the mug was obviously used
the amount of times needed to bring a monetary return to the
proprietor.

Why shouldn’t the cashier honor an arrangement made in
like of their own? Coffee, on average, costs the seller 10 cents a
cup. At a price of 60 cents for that refill, the store still has a profit
margin of five-fold. Most importantly, in honoring the refill
agreement, the cashier has just practiced diplomacy.

Now, this small, independent gas station has just let it be known
that it will support and honor agreements made by other sovereign
quick stops and food marts in the hopes that they will do the
same.

This practice has expanded to encompass, what seems to be, all
places of coffee refilling. As I traveled south, I tested the theory at
multiple shops. In Strasbourg, Ohio, I was met with a
complimentary smile as I brought my refill mug to the young
high-school graduate’s counter.

She smiled, beamingly, with her tongue ring exposed, asking,
“Where you from anyway?” I replied,
“Michigan.” The cup was unmarked. There was no
way she could have known.

Raleigh-Durham, N.C., met me with haste. The large chain store
was operating at full-bore. I simply gave the women 45 cents
— a steal when comparatively priced with Western Michigan. I
smiled with great joy as if receiving an unannounced gift and said,
“thank-you!” She simply replied, “Can I help
who’s next?”

This unspoken practice of diplomacy gives me great comfort every
Tuesday and Thursday morning as I commute to school in Mount
Pleasant. It’s a nice feeling to walk up to the multiple
commercial makers and see the prices stated above,
“$.99-12 oz., $1.19-20 oz” knowing full well I will
receive the same product at half the price.

Thank you and keep on practicing fair trade.