Our Very Own Kwik-E-Mart
Update July 3, 2007: Keira and I had a chance to check out the Coquitlam Kwik-E-Mart this afternoon.Pics are up on Flickr in this set: Trip to Kwik-E-Mart
In a hilarious yet ingenious mass-marketing plot 7-Elevens around North America have been turning into Kwik-E-Marts, in anticipation of the Simpsons Movie that hits theatres July 27, 2007.
The monthlong promotion has been rumored a long time — it’s hard to keep a secret known by so many suppliers and franchisees — but 7-Eleven managed to keep the locations of the stores quiet until early Sunday morning. That’s when the exteriors of 11 U.S. stores and one in Canada were flocked in industrial foam and given new signs to replicate the animated look of Kwik-E-Marts. [Yahoo News]
I read about this on Metroblogging Vancouver, where yong_sa discovered this article and found the only Kwik-E-Mart in Canada, which is in Coquitlam.
7-Eleven has a “Kwik-E-Mart Locator” on their site [7-11], where other locations include: Burbank, CA [Flickr Set], Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Lake Buena Vista, FL/Orlando, FL, Las Vegas, NV/Henderson, NV, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, San Francisco, CA/Mountain View, CA, Seattle, WA [Metroblogging Seattle] and Washington, DC/Bladensburg, MD [Metroblogging DC].
Those stores and most of the 6,000-plus other 7-Elevens in North America will sell items that until now existed only on television: Buzz Cola, KrustyO’s cereal and Squishees, the slushy drink knockoff of Slurpees. [Yahoo News]
The Coquitlam location is at 1198 Lansdowne in Coquitlam, BC. The 7-Eleven website says “street” although it should be “drive”. Here’s the Google Map. I’m not sure why more 7-Elevens joined in on the fun, because this will definitely be a sight to see, I’d love to go get a Squishee!
Reminder - July 11 (07-11) is free Slurpee day at 7-Eleven.
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July 2nd, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I really liked this idea when I heard about it, but now that I see it, I like it even more.
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Not only that, but they had it as “Landsdowne” (notice the first ‘d’). I say “had” because they commented out the Vancouver listing from the locations page. (I swore I saw the link last night.) Check the HTML code of http://www.7-eleven.com/kem.asp and search for “kem_vbc.asp” to see what I mean.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Greetings to Apu.
Mmmmmm …. doooooonuts.
Mmmmmm …. Duff.
Drool.
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
D’oh! None near me! I’m moving out the weekend the film opens though. Might have to plan the drive to Houston to “conveniently” pass through some of those towns.
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:18 pm
The bar in our office is called Moe’s. We were first!!!
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Baahaha…I just noticed on the Flickr set, there is a cop parked in the lot.
Mmmm-doughnuts.
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Just posted about my trip to the Kwik-E-Mart (with pictures). If you’re planning on going, wait until Tuesday when it’s fully transformed….but it was still cool today!
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:22 pm
No duff….
stupid PG-13 rated movie and promotion…
good looking donuts though, very… generic
XD
July 3rd, 2007 at 6:35 am
Oh cool landsdowne huh? I used to live near there! I’m going to have to see what’s left
Too bad they don’t sell beer like the American stores do… I’d be cool to see Duff!
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I just went by there the other day, can’t say I noticed it. Might try and run by there tonight!
do you think the _squishees_ will be free on July 11th?
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 pm
took my kids tonight line up was around the building lol
July 4th, 2007 at 6:50 am
The 7-11 on Robson near the Coast Plaza Hotel is selling the Crusty-O’s. I saw them on Sunday when I was getting a slurpee. I didn’t look to see if they were carrying anything else.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Damn, I used to live there. I move out of the suburbs and now they get this and H&M.
That 7-Eleven is across the street from a rich kid high school. No wonder they picked it.
PS The donair place around the corner, if you go by again, is delicious.
July 4th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
that is very cool. heard about it on the radio this morning on my way to work. too bad i don’t have a reason to go to Coquitlam. i love The Simpsons.
July 5th, 2007 at 6:33 am
Most of the 7-11s I’ve been too are selling the product, its just that the one in coquitlam is supposed to look more like a Kwik-E-Mart
I picked up some Buzz Cola (which is like RC Cola) and Krusty-Os which I hope I get the little sharpened buzz blade in it
July 6th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I spent some time at the Chicago Kwik-E-Mart and put together a somewhat thorough report. Hear the owner’s weak Apu impression, see how much money they pull in during a 20-minute stretch, see faces light up upon finding the Frosted KrustyO’s and many many pictures.
Five reasons to visit the Chicago Kwik-E-Mart
Chicago Kwik-E-Mart Photo Gallery
August 18th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
hi i enjoyed the read