Nate Brazier, the former President and CEO of Stinker Stores, is joining TXB as President, the Texas-based convenience and fresh-food chain confirmed. Founder Kevin Smartt retains his role as Owner and CEO, shifting his focus to growth strategy, capital allocation, and acquisitions as the company prepares to open five additional locations.
Brazier's Fresh-Food Pedigree
Brazier brings more than a decade of convenience-store leadership to TXB. During his tenure at Stinker Stores, the chain earned CStore Decisions' 2025 Chain of the Year recognition—a benchmark award in the convenience-retail segment. His stated priorities at TXB center on people development, operational excellence, and fresh-food differentiation, all pillars that align with TXB's restaurant-style positioning.
"My goal is to build on that foundation by investing in our people, continuing to differentiate TXB through fresh food and strengthening the culture that makes this company special," Brazier said. Smartt characterized the hire as a reflection of the company's trajectory: "We're building the organization and leadership team capable of operating a best-in-class convenience retail experience for our guests."
Expansion and Community Footprint
TXB currently operates more than 50 locations spanning 200,000 square feet across Texas and Oklahoma, with five stores already slated for future builds. The split-leadership structure—Brazier handling daily operations, Smartt steering long-term direction—mirrors a model increasingly common among regional convenience chains scaling toward the 100-unit threshold.
The fresh-made food angle is central to TXB's competitive identity. The chain positions itself explicitly as a "restaurant-style" convenience store with made-to-order offerings and a line of private-label products, a format that has gained significant traction as operators look to capture foodservice dollars lost by traditional QSR and fast-casual competitors. That overlap between convenience retail and foodservice is a trend our restaurant industry coverage has tracked closely as the lines between segments continue to blur.
Beyond unit growth, Smartt highlighted the chain's community giving program, noting TXB has raised nearly $1.5 million for CASA through its retail operations. That community-investment narrative is becoming a more deliberate part of regional chain positioning—something beverage and foodservice brand analysts have noted as a differentiator in competitive daypart battles.
With a seasoned operator now handling execution and the founder freed up for deal-making, TXB appears positioned to move quickly on both organic builds and potential acquisitions across its Texas and Oklahoma markets.
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.
