Maximizing Tobacco Sales in an Evolving Environment

Becoming TERRIBLE’S

Fresh off a rebranding, Terrible’s taps technology as it eyes expansion.

Erin Del Conte • Executive Editor

2022 has been a big year for Terrible’s. The Las Vegas-based chain began the year with a major rebranding initiative, changing its chain name from Terrible Herbst to Terrible’s, complete with a new logo and fresh signage for the convenience stores.

Now, Terrible’s is taking on technology, rolling out its new Terrible’s+ loyalty program, piloting self-checkout and expanding into delivery. At the same time, Terrible’s is looking to take its “deliberately different” programs to customers in new market areas as it plots an aggressive growth strategy in Las Vegas and beyond.

Today, Terrible’s operates 176 stores across Nevada, California, Arizona and Utah, with around 80% of the stores located in southern Nevada.

The decision to rebrand was inspired by the chain’s core customers.

“The customers out there, they say, ‘I’m going to the Terrible’s on the corner.’ They never really said ‘Terrible Herbst,’” said Bryan Breeden, vice president of advertising and marketing for Terrible’s. “Really being cognizant of our community and the fact that they call us Terrible’s, we decided to take a step back and reevaluate our overall branding from an organizational standpoint and go from Terrible Herbst over to Terrible’s.”

Terrible’s made the decision to rebrand in 2021 and began the process in Q1 of 2022. The rebrand included updates to the store facades, fresh signage inside and out, new uniforms

that feature the Terrible’s logo, and a revamped marketing look and feel that incorporates the red, white and blue color scheme of the Terrible’s logo. Today, all legacy stores have been offi cially converted to the Terrible’s banner name.

CREATING TERRIBLE’S

Terrible’s can trace its roots to 1938, when Founder Ed Herbst opened his fi rst Herbst Oil gas station in Chicago. Over the years, Ed Herbst continued to expand the business, branching out West and eventually moving into the Las Vegas market.

“Ed Herbst is very competitive, and he would run extremely aggressive retails versus his competition as well as doing different types of promotions like free pony rides when you would get fuel,” said Breeden. “Once he overheard one of his competitors in the state of Wyoming mention, ‘Oh, that Mr. Herbst is terrible, how he comes into new markets and tries to run aggressive retails and undercuts his competition.’ When he caught wind of that, he never really did much with it. But his son, Jerry Herbst always left that in the back of his mind.”

When Jerry Herbst took over the company in 1959 in Las Vegas, he paid homage to his father by incorporating the chain under the name Terrible Herbst Inc. The fi rst c-store under the Terrible Herbst banner was built that same year in Las Vegas.

Terrible’s

at a glance

Headquarters: Las Vegas

Founded: In 1938, Founder Ed Herbst opened his fi rst Herbst Oil gas station in Chicago. In 1959 in Las Vegas, his son, Jerry Herbst, incorporated the chain under the name Terrible Herbst Inc.

Store Count & Location: 176 stores across Nevada, California, Arizona and Utah Car Washes: 73 Terrible’s car washes — both tunnel washes and touch-free washes

Loyalty Program: The Terrible’s+ loyalty program launched in July inside the Terrible’s Social House App. Customers can gain points on purchases and redeem them for C-Store Cash, which they can spend on any item in the store, except for lottery.

Terrible’s design features a rectangular footprint with an industrial, modern look, lots of windows and high open ceilings with exposed air ducts painted bright red.

In the years that followed, the company grew mostly via new-to-industry builds.

“The Herbst family has always wanted to put their own spin on things, including their own architecture and footprint, and has believed in that process over these last 60-plus years here in southern Nevada,” Breeden said.

About 15% of the locations came from acquisitions. Most recently, Terrible’s acquired Get N Go, an eightstore chain, in May and Pit Stop, a seven-store chain, in January — both in the Las Vegas market.

Jerry Herbst passed away in late 2018, and today, his son Tim Herbst helms the company as president. Tim’s brothers, Troy Herbst and Ed Herbst, are both active in the company as board members.

“Some of their children today (the fourth generation) are even starting to get their feet wet in the business,” Breeden noted.

DESIGN DECISIONS

Terrible’s stores range in size.

“We have everything from our nostalgic pumper stores that have been open since the 1960s — we have two of them that are literally just a kiosk and fuel pumps; all the way up to the world’s largest Chevron that is in Jean, Nev., which is 50,000 square feet with 96 fuel pumps; and everything in between,” Breeden explained.

It operates a total of eight travel stores on highway corridors leading into and out of Las Vegas that measure 12,000 square feet and up.

Terrible’s latest store prototype design began rolling out fi ve years ago and averages 4,500 square feet. The design features a rectangular footprint with an industrial, modern look and feel that includes concrete fl ooring, lots of windows and high open ceilings with exposed air ducts painted bright red. The color scheme includes red, white and blue, with red as the dominant color. The walls around the grab-and-go and fountain areas feature red tile.

Each store includes a wall wrap that represents the community in which it is located. The Las Vegas stores, for example, include a nostalgic, black-andwhite Vegas-themed wall wrap.

Given that Las Vegas is known for its lavish casinos and as the gambling capital of the U.S., Terrible’s Nevada-based stores appeal to tourists and local guests alike with gaming sections.

“We call them Ms. Terrible’s Slot Corners,” Breeden said.