Retailer Spotlight - Tobacco Town, Malvern
Formerly known as Discount Tobacco, the Tobacco Town in Malvern is all about supporting players and building a tight-knit community through best lottery practices.
Tammie Stambaugh, the manager, started her lottery journey at this retailer two years ago. She adjusted to the industry quickly, thanks to training and assistance from the store’s lottery sales representative. Now that the lottery is like “second nature” to her, Tammie and her team focus on supporting their visitors in the same way. From educating players about draw games to paying out winning tickets, the goal is to make lottery playing an easy, positive experience.
“Lottery is a fun thing, and we love cheering them on,” Tammie said. “It pumps us up.”
Tammie and her team also make it a top priority to keep their lottery bins full and to activate new ticket stacks in a timely manner. Players are loyal to their favorite games — namely, instant tickets and Fast Play — but they still keep an eye out for new launches. With a 60-ticket display offering a range of options, colors and payouts, Tammie emphasizes the importance of meeting players’ needs.
“If it’s not out here, they don’t know we have it,” she said.
At the heart of it all, Tobacco Town’s success stems from its player-centered community. Each team member strives to get to know their players, whether they are regulars or new to lottery games.
“How cool is it to go into a store where they know your name?” Tammie asked. “We know their routine and where they work — we can even ask, ‘How’s your mom?’”
The result is a small community that is equally supportive of players and the Tobacco Town team. When the Powerball jackpot surpassed $1 billion last year, players stayed patient as store clerks worked around the clock to print their tickets. They were also quick to offer words of encouragement to other players.
“There were lots of ‘good lucks’ going around,” Tammie shared. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a $2 or $500 winner; we love sharing in that excitement.”
