Between a Hard Rock & a Casino

Rocktane Gas + Smoke arrives on the West Coast boasting an iconic music vibe

By Renée M. Covino

At a Glance

Rocktane Gas + Smoke

Opened: November 2021 Location: 3317 Forty Mile Road, Wheatland, Calif. Size: 4,100 square feet

Unique features:

Built on tribal land; located in the parking lot of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento; casino loyalty card partnership; Hard Rock brand elements, including exclusive branded merchandise; 24-hour drive-thru smoke shop ROCKTANE GAS + SMOKE is a business built on partnerships.

Located on tribal property and opened in November as part of the $75 million expansion of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain in California, it is the first Rocktane gas station and convenience store on the West Coast. Hard Rock International operates another Rocktane location in Atlantic City, N.J.

The need for a convenience store/gas station was a priority for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento and its owner, Enterprise Rancheria Tribe, not only as a customer amenity for the casino, but also for the property’s employees and the surrounding community.

“We are literally in the casino parking lot, right in front of the hotel check-in,” said Stephen Rudnick, director of retail for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento.

Besides the tribal, casino and Hard Rock brand partnerships, Rocktane also established a unique alliance with its supplier, Harbor Wholesale Foods, a Northwest convenience store distributor based in Roseburg, Ore. The collaboration has been strong from the very beginning of the project, as a mutual respect immediately formed between the two.

“The coolest thing about this store — besides its name and clout — is the quality of the team members, their professionalism, communication, and outstanding ability to collaborate,” Neil Harmon, director of sales for RDC (Roseburg Distribution Center) at Harbor Wholesale Foods, told Convenience Store News. “A lot of times, we’re not viewed as a partner and I’m OK with that. But with Rocktane, our opinions and ideas are really valued; we go back and forth with good collaboration.”

The way Rudnick tells it, “From the very beginning, Neil and his team were involved not just with product selection, but product setup and even store layout. We’re brand new in the convenience/gas industry and it was so helpful to have their expertise. We chose them because they

wanted to be true partners, not just to sell us some product.”

Brand Power

Rocktane operates 24/7 with 16 fuel pumps offering three levels of gas as well as diesel, a 4,100-square-foot convenience store, and a drive-thru smoke shop.

Inside the store, Hard Rock brand elements are a focal point. “We are focused on making this an upscale c-store as part of the Hard Rock atmosphere and vibe,” stated Rudnick.

Upon entering, shoppers hear rock music playing, and see Hard Rock-branded canopies and graphic guitar picks as aisle markers. There is also an impulse wall to the left of the entrance featuring “garage shirts,” tees, travel mugs, chains, pins, and more.

“This is Hard Rock-branded merchandise and Rocktane-branded merchandise that customers can’t find anywhere else,” Rudnick said. “People collect these; they’re very iconic.”

Now that the store has been in operation for a while, the operator is making tweaks and updates, tailoring its product assortment and merchandising. Since opening, Rocktane has cut down on cleaning supplies and pet supplies, along with limiting its selection of dairy and deli items.

“A lot of guests are doing grab-and-go food, but they’re not buying to stock up at their house. We tried that angle, and it didn’t work,” Rudnick explained.

Categories where Rocktane has expanded its assortment include vape products, heat-and-eat microwave items, and some auto supplies. “We discovered guests like to top off their oil before they go,” the retail director noted.

Unlike the upscale foodservice presentation that many convenience stores are moving into the future with, Rocktane has a “very limited food offering,” according to Rudnick. There are multiple restaurants in the casino, so it’s not necessary, he said.

“We’re pushing candy and snacks. Anything new there, we want to be the first with innovative items,” he added. “We’re trying to have a very broad assortment of candy, snacks and beverages. We want to stand out and have guests know they can find that new item here. We want to keep our candy and snack assortment fresh, exciting and different.”

The drive-thru smoke shop provides a convenience for the Hard Rock hotel and casino’s guests.

Drive-By Convenience

With its drive-thru smoke shop service, Rocktane is still in the teaching phase. “We want guests to know we have that for them, but not a lot are using it yet,” Rudnick admitted.

While the idea is to get customers inside the store to experience the vibe, Rocktane wanted to offer the drive-thru service as a convenience for the hotel and casino’s guests; to help them fulfill their tobacco needs and not have to face the elements. “Sometimes, it’s over 100 degrees outside. We get some crazy rain here, too,” he pointed out.

The drive-thru takes minimal effort to maintain and staff it, according to Rudnick. “It’s such a simple process, it’s just an additional register,” he said.

Rocktane has been fortunate to not experience any staffing challenges since it opened. In fact, it’s quite the contrary, Rudnick told CSNews. Employees receive free casino meals, a discount on fuel, and access to casino activities. “We’re treating them with respect and they’re having a fun time,” he said. “It’s a good group.”

Community Camaraderie

Local residents also enjoy discounted prices at the pump. Casino patrons, meanwhile, are offered discounts based on their loyalty card level. Wild Card loyalty members normally receive between a 5-cent and 20-cent discount per gallon. In the month of May, Rocktane doubled that discount, and offered team members and tribal members 40 cents off per gallon.

“We know what they’re going through with the high gas prices,” said Rudnick, reporting that the company has increased its business by roughly 5 to 10 percent, particularly thanks to new loyalty members signing up to receive the discounts.

Also with a community partnership in mind, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento and the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe invested in generators so that the gas station can continue to operate seamlessly during power outages and other emergencies.

“This means in the event of a power outage, we can supply gas for first responders and people evacuating the area,” Rudnick said. “We can operate 24/7 with or without power, and there is definitely that need with natural disasters going on. We have a lot of fires here.”

Luckily, the system hasn’t had to be used yet. But it was one of the key community accomplishments behind Rocktane Gas + Smoke, he noted. CSN

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