Convenience store the big winner in McIvers chase the ace fever

There are just seven cards left in the deck in the wildly popular chase the ace fundraiser for the McIver's Come Home Year 2017 celebrations.

And as the jackpot has grown to more than $218,000, the collective lack of luck each Sundayto draw the elusive ace of spadeshas become a pot of gold to the owners of the nearby K's Convenience store.

"It's wonderful, bring it on," laughed TammySheppard, who runs the businesson the north shore of the Bay of Islands, with her husband PeterSheppard.

• Drone video captures Chase the Ace madness in McIvers

"They say last week there was maybe a roughestimate of 2,300 people [at chase the ace].And Iwould say, give or take, there's at least 1,500 that are flowing through my store."

West Coast Morning9:06Chase the Ace brings thousands of people to McIvers each Sunday.

Chase the Ace brings thousands of people to McIvers each Sunday. We hear from Tammy Sheppard, a convenience store owner in McIvers, about what that means for their business

Sheppard said the customer rushstarts earlyaround noonhours before the booth opens for people to purchase their tickets for the evening draw, and the lineups continueuntil it's overaround 8:30 p.m.

"The lineup isn't only for the bathroom,it's for the front counter, and you also have the restaurantlineup," she said.

"You got lineups everywhere in the store, it's just phenomenal."

Feeding the masses

The Sheppards had shut down the restaurant side of the store for the summer, citing a lack of people willing to work on the weekends.

But they rethought that plan once they realized those hordes of gamblers were also pretty hungry.

Sheppard'smother, father, daughter and her daughter's boyfriend have all been recruited to help in the effort.

You got lineups everywhere in the store, it's just phenomenal.- Tammy Sheppard

"It's a family thing we're busy. I'm on cash actually, and my dad is the french fry cooker," she said, adding getting ready for the Sunday evening rush starts way earlier than a few hours before.

"Istart,let's say, on a Tuesday, prepping."

In addition to the hot food sales, snacks like candy, potato chips and bottles of pop are hot sellers.

"Iguess on Sundays there's no time to be preparing a proper dinner for yourself, or supper. So everybody's coming in and just going all out with confectionery products."

Sheppard said she knows the boom in business will disappear once the ace is drawn, which could be as early as the Aug. 28 draw.

But for now, she's counting her blessings that no matter who wins the lottery, K's Conveniencehas enjoyeda pretty good run.