There were many more stores a few decades ago. I was told both by a regional 7-11 consultant and by someone whos families own several in the valley, they wite off shop lifting as the price off doing busineess. But the big money maker is the slot business. If that consistently falls below a certain level, the gaming leases can legally break the lease and move out. Then the busineess is not longer viable as far as the 7-11 corporate office belives. They are franchises. Lucrative for the frachees owner if all going well and they can hire people at the lowest salary possible with little or no benefits. Our extended family now no longer frequents them.