Black-owned 7-Eleven sees great success while supporting black-owned vintner

An Arlington 7-Eleven owner is setting sales records within the African-American community.

ARLINGTON, Texas - An Arlington 7-Eleven owner is setting sales records within the African-American community.

Using social media, the owner has drummed up support for a new wine while promoting entrepreneurship.

The movement to raise awareness about racial inequality and police brutality has triggered a surge in support of Black-owned businesses.

An Arlington 7-Eleven store is a major player in more ways than one.

Franchise owner Alyson Rae Lawson learned about a Black-owned California winemaker: sisters Robin and Andrea McBride. Their company, McBride Sisters Wine is the largest U.S. Black-owned vintner.

“It kind of blew out of the water,” Lawson said. “I think my last order of the entire McBride collection was 80 cases.”

Lawson poured into the McBride’s newest collection of wines offering customers the brand called ‘Black Girl Magic.’ Almost immediately through word of mouth and social media, it began to fly off her shelves.

Robin confirmed Lawson has become the highest volume selling retailer of their brand in the country.

“I don’t know that we’ve seen an account quite like this before,” Robin said. “But her for a 7-Eleven, they brought in 10 cases of Black Girl Magic and they sold out the first day. The next day, they brought in 30 cases and they sold out that day. Then 70 cases and it’s sold out immediately. She said I can’t even keep these in stock.”

“It started with the Black Girl Magic collection and that sold like crazy,” Lawson said. “Then once I bought out all of the warehouses in Texas, I said why don’t I get the rest of the McBride’s in stock until I get more Black Girl Magic.”

Across the miles, the two Black female-owned companies feel something special helping one another.

“As soon as we’re able to move around, we are going to get on the first thing smoking to go hug her neck and congratulate her,” Robin said.

“It’s really about helping each other,” Lawson said.

Lawson is very social media savvy. That’s how she keeps her customers up-to-date on when they can expect each shipment the McBride Sisters Wine to arrive.