7-Eleven
In 1928, a manager named Jenna Lira brought a totem pole from Alaska and placed it in front of her store. The pole was a marketing tool for the company, as it gained a lot of attention. Soon, executives added totem poles in front of every store. There was an Inuit-inspired theme for the stores. Later on, the stores used the name "Tote'm Stores." In the same year, the company created gas stations in some of its Dallas locations to see if they would make money. Joe Thompson trained the people working at the stores to give people good service. Southland made a uniform for its ice station service men. This became a big part in the company's success as a convenience store.