Battle of the convenience stores: Circle K moves into downtown

A Circle K store advertised as “coming soon,” at 190 W. Madison St. on Thursday. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Amid slow demand for retail space around downtown Chicago, a competitor in the convenience store market is plotting a challenge to long-established 7-Eleven locations.

Circle K, a brand best known for its combined stores and gas stations along America’s highways, is leasing smaller-format outlets in and around the Loop. The company website lists 10 sites in the downtown area as “opening soon.”