Where we started
Stop-N-Go was one of the early pioneers of the convenience store industry, having begun operations in February 1963. We began as a family owned, Madison based business, and this ownership structure remains in place today, more than 50 years later. We grew at a “one store at a time” pace, and flourished throughout the 1960’s and 70’s, positioning ourselves as neighborhood grocery stores. By the time the late 70’s rolled around, we had about 60 stores, mostly leased and located within small strip malls.
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 we began offering BP fuel. In 2020, Stop-N-Go de-branded BP and Amoco locations and established Stop-N-Go as its own brand, offering Top Tier™ gasoline and diesel at these 32 locations. Stop-N-Go also owns and operates two stores with Shell branded fuel, one with Citgo branded fuel and one neighborhood store without fuel.