And then there was fuel

By 1980, the industry began to change.  The greatest change was the introduction of gasoline at convenience store locations.  Very few of our stores were in a position to add fuel facilities, so we sat at a crossroads.  Although we had been hugely successful, the future looked uncertain.  Without a strong entry into the petroleum side of the industry, it would be difficult to remain competitive.

In the late 1980’s, the company had expanded into Northern Illinois, and had 56 stores, but downsizing was necessary to stay profitable.  This began our conversion from a group of neighborhood stores to a convenience store chain, and resulted in the closing and selling off of many locations and the construction of many new facilities. 

As the decade of the 1990’s began, the company formed relationships with gasoline suppliers so we could offer branded gasoline.  For a period of time, we offered many different brands of fuel, sending no clear message to our customers.  In 1997, Stop-N-Go entered into a supply agreement with Amoco Oil Company, the overall market share leader.  The majority of our locations were converted to Amoco.  In 1999, Amoco merged with BP and today most of our gasoline facilities offer BP fuel.  Stop-N-Go and BP partner to make a strong marketing presence.