Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB

Leaving Em' Better as CEO of TXB (Texas Born) for over 20 years! Locations spanning across Texas and Oklahoma.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

Customers want a clean, safe and reliable place to stop. They want an easy experience, ways to save and confidence that they're getting good value. I believe in a well-maintained fuel station and a rewards program that puts money back in someone's pocket.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

There's a lot of conversation about what artificial intelligence will be able to do for retail businesses in the coming years. I believe the retailers who benefit most from AI will be the ones who find the right balance between better technology and experienced people.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

Not long ago, choosing a beverage at a convenience store was pretty straightforward. Today, customers are looking for much more. Protein shakes, hydration drinks, energy beverages and other functional products are changing what people reach for in our coolers.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

This year, I joined fellow industry leaders for a discussion at #NACS on “What’s Convenient Now? Gen Z and Gen Alpha Weigh In.” One statistic that stood out to me: These two generations represent an estimated $12 tril in potential convenience store spending over the next 30 yrs.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

I’d argue convenience stores were made for nights like Halloween. Someone forgot the ice. You need drinks for the party, or the kids cleaned out the candy bowl way faster than expected. Those quick, everyday moments are a big part of what convenience is really about.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

Private label used to have a reputation for being the cheaper or lesser option. I’ve never believed it has to be that way. Shorter distances can mean fresher products, better quality control and stronger relationships with the people making them.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

In retail, the little things aren’t really little. A clean store. Fresh coffee. Good food. Stocked shelves. A friendly hello. A checkout that moves. None of that sounds groundbreaking, but customers notice when you get it right. And they definitely notice when you don’t.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

GLP-1s are changing the way people eat, and that means they’re changing convenience retail too. Customers are thinking more about portion size, protein and what they’re grabbing on the go. For those of us in the c-store business, that’s worth paying attention to.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

At TXB, we’ve had fun bringing a few of those trends into our stores, from dirty sodas to last year’s Dubai chocolate craze. Some trends are worth testing because they give customers something new to talk about, try and come back for.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

This year, TXB donated more than 5,000 goodie bags, filled with supplies and gifts valued at nearly $75,000, to teachers at 54 schools and more than 25,000 coupons for a free medium fountain or frozen drink to students at 66 local schools across Texas.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

A lot of people still think of convenience stores as just a place to grab a drink and fill up the truck, but look at the numbers. Nearly 152,000 convenience stores in the U.S. generate $817.5 billion in sales and support 2.75 million jobs. That’s not a small industry!

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

I’m looking forward to connecting with more leaders across our industry at the @NACSonline annual conference. There’s always something to learn from the people who are pushing convenience retail forward.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

I’m honored to be nominated for the @MyABJ's 2026 Best CEO Awards. Austin has an incredible business community, and I’m grateful to be recognized alongside leaders who build best-in-class companies, create opportunities, and invest in this region. https://t.co/zxSLiq4PHS

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

I’ve spent 25 years with TXB, and one thing that experience teaches you is not to judge the business only by what happens this quarter. Of course, the numbers matter. Growth is important. Building something that lasts is better.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

People sometimes think convenience retail is a pretty straightforward business. The reality is that dozens of moving pieces have to work together every day. That’s what keeps the work interesting.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

I’ve always believed one of the toughest jobs in retail is being a great store manager. You have to understand the numbers, manage inventory, lead people, solve problems, maintain standards and still have an eye for what the guest sees when they walk through the door.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

One thing I’ve always loved about the convenience store business is how connected you become to the communities you serve.

When you’re part of people’s everyday routines, I think you have a responsibility to show up for the community beyond the four walls of your business.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

We talk a lot about the guest experience. We should spend just as much time thinking about the employee experience.

Take care of the people behind the experience, and they’ll take better care of the people walking through our doors.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

Food has become an important part of who we are at TXB, and I believe it will be an even bigger part of where convenience retail goes from here. Guests expect more from us than they did ten or twenty years ago. We have to give people a reason to choose us.

[Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB @txbstores]

Technology in retail is only valuable if it makes something better. Better for the guest. Better for the employee. Better for the people trying to operate the business. If it saves an employee time or makes a guest’s experience easier, that’s where technology becomes valuable.