[Vocabulary] convenience store / corner shop (BE)

[Mnemon]

Hi,

What's the difference a corner shop and a convenience store in British English? Do they mean exactly the same thing? If not, I'd appreciate it if someone could clarify the matter.

 

[Tdol]

A corner shop is an early version of a convenience store- selling food and household items, but generally family-run and not open 24 hours.

 

[teechar]

and not open 24 hours.

Indeed. While some convenience stores nowadays are open all the time, corner shops had shorter opening hours. You'll also find that BrE (and other varieties) uses "shop" more than "store" in that context.

 

[Tdol]

Sorry- here in Japan convenience stores are open 24 hours, which really annoys the franchisees in smaller towns where there's little footfall at 4am.

 

[SoothingDave]

The 7-11 store was named for its hours of operation. 7 AM to 11 PM.

 

[Tarheel]

Then at one point somebody decided that it would more convenient for their customers who had to have snacks at 4 AM if they were open 24 hours a day.

 

[jutfrank]

I certainly would never use the term 'convenience store'. It sounds very American to me, not British English at all. If it is used, I imagine it would only be by those in the business.

 

[Tdol]

The 7-11 store was named for its hours of operation. 7 AM to 11 PM.

We have them here in Japan- open 24.

 

[emsr2d2]

I hear "convenience store" more and more here in the UK. Perhaps that's because most of them are no longer sited on a street corner in a mostly residential area. When I was a child, that was the only place one found these little shops. They frequently doubled as a newsagent.

 

[jutfrank]

I hear "convenience store" more and more here in the UK.

Referring to newsagents or to express supermarkets?

 

[SoothingDave]

The modern new convenience store in the US today has no fewer than 10 gas pumps (usually closer to 20), and serves made-to-order sandwiches and fried foods, has extensive coffee selections, and sells beer and wine. It's a far cry from a neighborhood corner store. Some even have Tesla charging stations.

 

[SoothingDave]

We have them here in Japan- open 24.

Yes, they're all 24 hour operations now.

 

[emsr2d2]

Convenience stores in the UK don't sell petrol (gas). Petrol stations sell petrol - there might be a shop there too but the primary purpose is selling petrol.

 

[Tdol]

And oversized cigarette papers. :shock:

 

[SoothingDave]

The primary purpose of the convenience store is to lure you in when you buy gas in order to make a profit on coffee and cigarettes. Gas prices are competitive, so they don't make much (if any) profit on gas sales.

 

[Rover_KE]

That's true of the USA – not the UK.