Chris Traczek |
[ EDITOR’S NOTE ]
Forging Ahead
If you are a CTS owner/operator and are reading this 2005 edition of the Tobacco Retailer Sourcebook I have one thing to say to you: Congratulations! The fact that you've survived another year in a business climate that buffeted you with tax increases, age-to-purchase increases, the threat of FDA legislation and the reality of Internet sales proves that you've been able to roll with the punches, anticipate the changes and make the necessary adjustments to incorporate them into your business plan.
In fact, despite all of the potential pitfalls that conspire to make CTS retailing an iffy proposition, it appears that the CTS universe continues to grow, with one recent count putting the number of locations in the country at close to 15,000, about a 50-percent increase over the last five years.
Hopefully, the 2004 version of the Sourcebook was a useful aid in helping your
business not only survive, but thrive, in the past 12 months. That remains our goal as I introduce you to TR Sourcebook 2005. This latest edition, our seventh, is our biggest and best with more company listings than ever, as well as updated information for the companies that have been with us from the start.
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