In the mid-80s, Aris Mardirossian opened his convenience store named “6-Twelve,” based on the worldwide chain 7-Eleven (7,400 stores in North America with hundreds more across the world at the time).
By 1990, his Gaithersburg-based chain grew to 20 stores and there were rumors that he would be purchasing 600 7-Eleven stores in the DMV (the rumors were denied by 7-Eleven executives).