Retailer Spotlight - Sahaj Food Mart

Customers rush in and out of Sahaj Food Mart, a 24/7 lottery retailer in Camden, Ark., as they stop by for their favorite games. The store is always busy, even with two people working the register and one helping at the drive-thru. Sahaj Food Mart is the first of owner Kikani Nitin’s retail locations, but the store remains a standout for three attributes: good staff, good customers, and good players. 

“I tell everyone, ‘People are good here,’” Nitin told lottery officials. “Players are supportive, and our lottery sales representative is my best friend.” 

Behind these characteristics, however, are intentional efforts to build customer loyalty. The Sahaj Food Mart team has gone out of its way to accommodate players, renovating the store to add a drive-thru and moving the register to display tickets more prominently. The team also insists on helping players with whatever they need, keeping them updated on all things lottery. Nitin boasts that, because of the team’s hard work, the store has “90 percent repeat customers.” 

“People will say, ‘This is my store,’” added Jess Bouler, cashier. “They love this place and claim it as their own. It has a familiar feel.” 

The Sahaj Food Mart team enjoys the support, too, as lottery helps bolster the store’s income and reputation in the community. 

“People will come in for tickets, but they’ll also buy extras like chips and sodas,” Nitin said. “Lottery is the jackpot!”