India West reports that Indian and other Asian American convenience store owners see power in their numbers. They hope to unite in an effort to force manufacturers and suppliers to give them better prices. No word on whether any savings would be passed on to their customers.
They gathered at the Asian American Convenience Store Association annual convention. The group which started just 7 years ago has 10,000 members. It’s now estimated that 50% of the nation’s 140,000 convenience stores are owned by Indian Americans.
“Uniting of all the independent store owners and with their combined purchasing power would reduce the cost of their products and thus enhance our profits in these tough economic times,” Bollywood actress Kashmera Shaw said. Shaw attended the convention as a guest of honor along with newly elected Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard.
