In 1927, Southland Ice Company employee John Jefferson Green began selling eggs, milk, and bread from the improvised ice house storefronts in Dallas, Texas, with permission from one of Southland's founding directors, Joe C. Thompson Sr.[7] Although small grocery stores and general merchandisers were available, Thompson theorized that selling products such as bread and milk in convenience stores would reduce the need for customers to travel long distances for basic items. He eventually bought the Southland Ice Company and turned it into Southland Corporation, which oversaw several locations in the Dallas area.[4]
In December 1969, a Southland executive brought a totem pole as a souvenir from Alaska and placed it in front of the store. The pole served as a marketing tool for the company, as it attracted a great deal of attention. Soon, executives added totem poles in front of every store and eventually adopted an Inuit-inspired theme for their stores. Later on, the stores began operating under the name "Tote'm Stores."