Why Is 7-Eleven Open 24 Hours If It’s Called “7-Eleven”?

It’s a national staple, with its iconic logo and headline-making food items. If you’re a fan of 7-Eleven, you might have wondered where the name comes from. It rhymes, and it’s catchy, but is it accurate?

Intuitively, it seems like “7-Eleven” must be called that because those are the hours that it’s open. But most 7-Elevens are open 24 hours, making its name seem like a bit of a misnomer (for the better, though, to be sure)! How did 7-Eleven get its name?

Well, as you might have predicted, those were once the hours 7-Eleven was open. And they did indeed give 7-Eleven the name it has today—but that wasn’t always its name.

The origins of 7-Eleven

7-Eleven began as, of all things, an ice house, in the early 20th century before refrigeration was widespread. Several ice companies merged to form Southland Ice Company, based in Dallas, Texas. In 1927, they began selling food and other staples. They actually went bankrupt due to the Great Depression, but then came back better than ever. With the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, food and drink establishments could now make dough selling alcohol, and Southland Ice locations were no exception. Sure enough, they gained prominence. Decorating their storefronts with totem poles, they became known as “Tote’m Stores,” invoking the way customers would “tote” their purchases out of the store. This was long before they introduced the beloved Slurpee; it made its debut in 1965! By the way, here’s what you need to know about Free Slurpee Day at 7-Eleven.

New hours

It was 1946 when they changed their name to reflect their new, expanded hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. And the new “7-Eleven” name was “honest,” so to speak, for 17 years! The store expanded greatly in the coming years, beyond Texas and throughout the United States. But it was a Texas location—Austin, to be exact—that pioneered the 24-hour change. In 1963, a single Austin location spurred the shift by remaining open all night to accommodate nearby college students. It was a roaring success, so other locations began to do the same. The name remained, though, paying tribute to the early days of the brand. Next, learn how 10 more of your favorite stores got their names.

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