The Hire
TXB, the Spicewood, Texas-based operator of restaurant-style convenience stores, has named Nate Brazier as President, separating day-to-day operational oversight from the growth and capital-allocation duties that Owner and CEO Kevin Smartt will retain.
Brazier arrives with more than a decade of c-store leadership, most recently as President and CEO of Stinker Stores, an Idaho-based chain that earned CStore Decisions' 2025 Chain of the Year honors under his watch. His track record there — expanding store count, tightening operations, and building out a senior leadership bench — maps directly to what TXB is signaling it needs as it pushes past 50 units.
What Brazier Brings
The hire is a deliberate bet on foodservice-forward c-store execution. TXB positions itself closer to fast casual than traditional fuel-and-snack retail, emphasizing made-to-order fresh food, private-label products, and a hospitality culture it calls "Leave 'Em Better." That positioning requires the kind of unit-level operational discipline Brazier has articulated as his management philosophy — people, culture, and food-service passion over pure retail metrics.
"TXB has a great foundation," Brazier said. "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."
Smartt, who retains the CEO title, framed the split as a deliberate structural upgrade. "We're building the organization and leadership team capable of operating a best-in-class convenience retail experience," he said, pointing also to the chain's community footprint — TXB has raised nearly $1.5 million for CASA through local-giving programs, a brand-equity play that carries weight in small and mid-size Texas markets.
Pipeline and Competitive Context
With more than 50 locations spanning roughly 200,000 square feet across Texas and Oklahoma, TXB has five additional stores in the development pipeline. The unit-growth pace is modest but deliberate — consistent with the asset-heavy, company-operated model most restaurant-style c-store concepts maintain to protect food quality and brand consistency.
The broader convenience-foodservice segment is intensifying. Regional chains are investing aggressively in made-to-order programs, proprietary hot-food formats, and drive-thru-adjacent layouts to capture dayparts that quick-service restaurants have long dominated. TXB's decision to split the CEO and President roles — freeing Smartt for acquisitions and strategy while Brazier manages operations — follows a playbook seen at growth-stage chains that need both an external deal-maker and an internal operator simultaneously.
For foodservice operators and franchise development watchers, TXB's leadership restructuring illustrates how regional c-store chains are professionalizing management structures to compete with both national fuel brands and fast-casual concepts expanding into convenience dayparts. The talent market for operators with proven c-store and fresh-food credentials remains competitive, and Brazier's move from a celebrated mid-tier chain to a growth-oriented Texas brand signals continued executive mobility across the segment.
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.
