Continuing the expansion begun by this father, John Thompson, aided by his brother Jere, grew 7-Eleven into the national business it is today. Despite a failed venture into the oil industry with the Citgo chain, Thompson successfully grew 7-Eleven through franchising, and by 1987, when the family took the company private again, stores totaled over 8,000 across the United States and Canada and revenues were $8.6 billion.