Filing Obligation, Safer Locations

October 31, 2024

Reminder for Important Filing Deadline

In case you haven’t already, don’t forget to file your Business Ownership Information (BOI) registration with the federal government by the end of the calendar year. Don’t wait until the last minute, as it is being increasingly expected that the huge backlog of business owners who have not filed will do so at the last minute and may cause the system to crash. 

This requirement is for more businesses with fewer than 20 employees or fewer than $5 million in revenue. The registration requirement came about because of a federal law called the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). There have been several court challenges to the law, as well as efforts to delay the filing deadline, but so far none of them have succeeded, and we are just a few weeks from the end of the year. Since this law was designed to crack down on money laundering, the penalties for a business that does not file its registration can be surprisingly steep. 

The Small Business Administration is hosting a webinar next week at 2pm that may be helpful, you can register HERE. You can file the form and view their Q&A HERE. Feel free to reach out to Nick@njgca.org if you have any questions or need any help.

Tips on Creating a Safe Store Environment

As mentioned last week, we attended the annual NACS convention this year, and wanted to report back to members some useful information from their education programs. This week, some info on creating a safer environment in your business. 

• Keeping your own data can be useful, create a simple report form, encourage employees to complete it when there’s a problem. Not nearly every incident will involve a cop coming out and even when they do, they may not write a report. 
• Site protection through environmental design. 
  • Bright lighting, no shadows including in the area on the way to the dumpster. 
  • A lot of law enforcement will give an assessment for free if asked. 
  • Look out for the type of places where people want to congregate, hang out, play cards, etc.
  • Eliminate outside plugs so people aren’t hanging around to charge their phone
  • Put in thorny bushes
  • Use sloped edges on buildings to discourage loitering
• Keeping your merchandise in disarray triggers people to think they can steal and no one will notice or care, it’s not being accounted for and no one is really paying attention. A clean and neat store discourages problems, implies everything is being monitored and tracked. 
• Consider panic buttons on lanyards for staff walking around, like out to dumpster or at the pumps.
• Keep cameras all over, including the back room. Remember to think of it as an investment with an eventual return, rather than just another expense. 
• Better cameras have really helped, if you get a headline for getting someone arrested because of your cameras, even if it’s for a crime that didn’t occur at your place, that’s a deterrent. Don’t just install them all in the ceiling because someone with a baseball cap can avoid it. Have one right on the door frame like 6 feet up. 
• Have set policies for employees about when to call the police. Have a short summary of the policy too so they can easily remember it. Make sure they feel comfortable calling an incident in, otherwise the business could be asking for victimization.
• De-escalation training is the key now, see if you can get a video training online. 
  • Defuse situations, the first 30 seconds of a conversation can be the key to defusing it. Have a non-accusatory and empathetic attitude. Let the employee blame some faceless company policy so they can take themselves out of it.
• Partner with local businesses who may have similar problems. If troublemakers hang out at an abandoned property owner nearby, find a way to contact the property owner so they can get them pushed out for trespassing (it’s a liability for the owner)
  • Nearby churches or shelters can take homeless off your hands, good partnership can be helpful.
• Free coffee for police makes them grateful and friendly for the future, also gets them to hang around the store more. Clean restrooms have the same effect.

Election Day Approaches

Every year we at NJGCA assemble a Voter Guide in advance of the November election. Early in-person voting runs through Sunday, available at certain locations in each county, you can find the list HERE. Between early voting sites and mail ballots, nearly 1.8 million people have voted in New Jersey so far!

Polls are open on Tuesday from 6am until 8pm.

You can download the entire Voter Guide, which includes information about your congressional district, who the candidates are, and where they stand on the issues that most affect our industries, by clicking HERE. 

Happy Holidays

We hope everyone celebrating this week has a Happy Diwali and Happy Halloween

Rack Averages

News Worth Knowing:

Member Benefit Partner (MBP) Spotlight: Minor Decliner – Age Verification Made Easy. Prevent Theft and Increase Security. 

Minor Decliner is a leading provider of age verification solutions for tobacco sales. Our flagship product is a countertop device that scans IDs to verify age and prevent underage tobacco purchases. This cutting-edge technology ensures compliance with tobacco laws and regulations, protecting your business from costly fines and penalties. 

As an NJGCA member, you can take advantage of an exclusive $40 discount on Minor Decliner’s countertop age verification device by using the code NJGCA40. This special offer makes it easier and more affordable to implement robust age verification measures at your establishment, safeguarding your business while providing a seamless customer experience.

 Key Features: 

• Scans driver’s licenses and other government-issued IDs to verify age 

• User-friendly interface for quick and accurate age checks 

• Customizable settings to meet your specific needs 

• Durable, compact design for countertop use 

• Comprehensive reporting and audit trail capabilities 

With our age verification solution, you can confidently sell tobacco products while mitigating the risks associated with underage sales. Take advantage of the $40 off (NJGCA40) discount code today and prioritize compliance at your business.

Contact: Ron Tobb Phone: 888-310-4001 Email: ron@minordecliner.com Website: www.minordecliner.com

Available Real Estate

Medford, New Jersey

We are periodically approached by members to post a classified ad in our communications, and are happy to help if possible.

Though we typically limit such listings to the “Available Real Estate” section below, for this week we are repositioning this classified entry to the main body of our newsletter in hopes of helping our member reach additional interested parties. 

Gas station for sale or lease.  103 Taunton Rd., Medford, NJ 08055

This is a functioning gas station at a signalized and very busy signalized corner of Medford, a higher-income community in south Jersey and near Philadelphia. 

The building has about 1250 sf and is situated in 0.45 acres.  It consists of the land, gas station, and a rented two-bay auto repair shop. Shop income is about $48,000 per year, and property taxes are about $8145 annually. 

The gas station has three underground tanks: 12,000 gallons for regular, 4,000 gallons for premium, and 4,000 gallons for diesel. Tanks are double-hull fiberglass from 2009, fully inspected and functional.  Gas is currently unbranded.  

The property has strong development prospects, so an owner-user can operate it until s/he decides to develop it – or not.   A tenant can rent only the gas function. Lease with option to buy is a possibility.  

Please call Theodore Vakrinos at 703-768-8580 landline, 703-7317302 cell;  or email at tvakrinos@gmail.com

Do you have an advertisement or classified listing you’d like to submit? 

Contact us at info@njgca.org with the details and your request. 

Cape Harbor Shell

**Price Reduction**

795 Route 109, Unit B, Lower Township, NJ, 08204

Contact: Jerry 609-425-8837 capeharborshell@comcast.net 

Click HERE to view listing

Station for Sale

Thriving High Profit Gas/Service Station close to Major Highway in Prime Location. 

This Exclusive Gas Station is the Sole Provider in the entire town, achieving a remarkable fuel profit of up to and sometimes over 1$ a gallon. Consistently selling 45,000 gallons monthly. Most fuel customers come from Highway so fuel prices do not have to be competitive. 

Also included with the Property is a Reputable High End Auto Repair Facility. Repair shop has all required Specialty and Diagnostic Tools for servicing mostly High End Vehicles. Advertising is no longer used do to an enormous Demand and large Customer Base. Repair Business has has potential for increased profitability and expansion, the business is open to experienced buyers for a possible partnership or profit sharing arrangement. Location is 1 out of 100. Fuel sales make 20-40K a month and repairs can do the same with the right operator. 

This one of a kind opportunity can include seller financing for those with High-Level Automotive or Gas Station Experience.

Contact Greg
908-291-7845

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