When my worst competitor… is me!

If by any chance you pass by the city of Dorval, stop at the corner of Dorval Avenue and Bouchard Boulevard to see an unusual scene.

As shown in the picture, two Couche-Tard convenience stores are facing each other, one almost in the parking lot of the other!

One is a Couche-Tard with Esso and a Tim Hortons restaurant while the other is just a small traditional Couche-Tard.

Explanation: last fall, Couche-Tard acquired 50 service-stations from Imperial Oil featuring the “Marché Express” banner and selling Esso gasoline. This transaction represented a golden opportunity since they were deemed high quality locations, most equipped with a Tim Hortons restaurants … they were even called “jewels of the crown” by Couche-Tard President, Brian Hannash.

Except that in some places, such as Dorval, a Couche-Tard convenience store was directly facing the Marché Express store acquired … oops!

Will they eventually divest the little extra Couche-Tard or keep the embarrassing duplicates permanently? That’s a million dollar question.

The local and regulatory authorities are certainly not thrilled with the situation that brings nothing to the company’s good image.

That two convenience stores of the same banner compete directly for the same customers in the same place is not what diversity is about!

It could even become a perfect symbol of the domination of Couche-Tard in Quebec.