InConvenience Inc. reopened a rural site in Tarkio, Missouri, late last year after a full forecourt rebuild. The community has fewer than 2,000 residents, and before the upgrades, fuel sales had averaged 4,300 gallons over 100 days and inside sales were similarly soft.
That’s according to Nicole Majkowicz, facilities and fuel director at Chicago-based InConvenience, who spoke at CSP’s Forecourt Forum on Monday in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The chain has 25 locations, picked up from shuttered Mountain Express and SQRL Service Station locations in Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas.
Majkowicz focus included renovations on the forecourt. Working with Seneca Cos, Des Moines, Iowa, Majkowicz replaced dispensers, rebuilt the canopy, installed a 30,000-gallon tank, added high-flow diesel and cleaned up the layout to improve traffic patterns.
The results were immediate and clear, she said.
In the 100 days following the project, fuel volume increased more than 1,000%, climbing from 4,300 gallons to roughly 56,000. Inside sales rose 452% during the same period.
Majkowicz attributes the performance lift to what she calls a “halo effect.” A clean, modern forecourt brought customers back to the location and encouraged them to go inside. Improved diesel access solved congestion issues and attracted new traffic from the area’s agricultural community, she said.
“People are able to fuel up on common equipment, friendly service and a clean station. It goes really far,” she said.
To help fund the costly infrastructure overhaul, InConvenience tapped available biofuel infrastructure grant programs. The upgrades coincided with support under the USDA Rural Development program Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), which helps fueling stations, convenience stores and similar facilities install equipment needed to offer higher-blend fuels like E15 and biodiesel blends.
Under HBIIP, eligible applicants may receive cost-share grants covering a portion of eligible project costs, including dispensers, storage tanks and associated infrastructure upgrades.
Majkowicz said the grant process was intimidating at first.
"I had no idea what the acronyms meant in this industry, and I really didn't have any idea what an environmental survey was," she said.
But the payoff made the effort worthwhile, she said. A substantial portion of the project's cost was offset, making the comprehensive rebuild feasible for a small operator across a rural market.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.