The Appointment
TXB, the Texas and Oklahoma convenience store chain positioning itself around fresh, made-to-order food, has named Nate Brazier as President, effective immediately. Founder Kevin Smartt remains Owner and CEO, redirecting his attention from day-to-day management toward growth strategy, capital allocation, and acquisitions.
Brazier's Track Record
Brazier arrives with more than a decade of convenience retail leadership. He most recently served as President and CEO of Stinker Stores, an Idaho-based chain that was named CStore Decisions' 2025 Chain of the Year under his tenure. At Stinker, he oversaw operational improvements, store-count growth, and leadership development — a profile that maps directly onto TXB's stated priorities of operational excellence and foodservice differentiation.
The hire signals that TXB is professionalizing its management structure ahead of a more aggressive growth cycle. With Brazier running operations, Smartt can concentrate on the deal-making and capital work that typically precede meaningful unit expansion in the convenience and foodservice channel.
Scale and Pipeline
TXB currently operates more than 50 locations spanning roughly 200,000 square feet of property across Texas and Oklahoma, and has five additional stores already slated for development. The chain offers a private-label product line alongside its fresh food program — a combination that convenience operators have increasingly leaned on to build margin and brand loyalty as fuel revenue becomes a less reliable anchor.
The foodservice-forward convenience format has drawn sustained operator investment over the past several years, with chains such as Wawa, Sheetz, and Casey's General Stores demonstrating that prepared food can become a primary traffic and margin driver. TXB's restaurant-style positioning — made-to-order items, hospitality-focused service — places it in that competitive tier, albeit at a regional scale. For a chain of its size, adding a dedicated president with multi-unit foodservice operational credentials is a meaningful structural upgrade. See related coverage on convenience retail foodservice trends and executive moves shaping the sector.
Leadership Outlook
"We're building the organization and leadership team capable of operating a best-in-class convenience retail experience for our guests," said Kevin Smartt, Owner and CEO, TXB. He noted that the company's community-giving program has raised nearly $1.5 million for CASA, underscoring the brand's local-market strategy. Brazier, for his part, cited people investment and fresh food differentiation as his two immediate priorities, adding that his detail-oriented operating style aligns closely with Smartt's own approach.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
