FOR UPGRADING THE CONVENIENCE STORE
Now, instead of a dingy chain with fluorescent lighting, imagine suspended greenery, black stools near polished where “the food is great, and they aren’t viewed as a place of last resort,” he says, LaVitola opened his first Foxtrot store in 2015 in Chicago. He expanded to Dallas in 2019, Washington, D.C., last year, and now oversees 21 stores. In January, LaVitola raised $100 million—with Austin, Miami, Houston, and Nashville next on his list. Customers can order ahead via the Foxtrot app or opt for 30-minute delivery; most visit one way or another approximately six times a month. LaVitola’s commitment to making “every store a reflection of its neighborhood” means that they all look almost totally different; he sources things locally, from the furniture to the plasterwork to the baked goods.
