Eagle Stop parent buys 10 convenience stores


The former Valero gas station on Southwest Boulevard in Jefferson City was recently purchased, along with another station, by GF Convenience LLC.
The former Valero gas station on Southwest Boulevard in Jefferson City was recently purchased, along with another station, by GF Convenience LLC.

GF Convenience LLC, the parent company of Jefferson City's Eagle Stop convenience store, has added 10 convenience stores to its fold through the purchase of Mertens Oil.

Now GF Convenience will own two Jefferson City convenience stores: the Eagle Stop at Wildwood Crossings and the former Mertens location across Southwest Boulevard from Schulte's Fresh Foods.

GF Convenience is owned by Kurt Fisher and Tony Gier. They started with convenience stores in Eugene, California and Sedalia, and now own more than 30 across Mid-Missouri.

The purchase of Mertens Oil included 13 convenience stores, but they sold three the same day they bought them, Fisher said. The purchase included stores in Jefferson City, Eugene, Eldon, Versailles, Tuscumbia, Freeburg, Russellville, California, St. Elizabeth, Sedalia, three in Eugene and two in Russellville.

Mertens Oil was started by Roger Mertens, who died several years ago. After his wife died more recently, the company went to their five children, who sold it to GF Convenience for an undisclosed price.

Fisher said GF Convenience will brand all of its newly acquired stores as Eagle Stops, each selling Cenex Fuel.

"The things we pride ourselves in are the cleanliness and the lighting," Fisher said. "The majority of people in the household who get fuel are women, and you want extremely clean operations and well-lit during the evenings so they feel safe."

He said customer service is also a staple at Eagle Stop convenience stores. "It still boils down to the customer is always right," he said. "And if it's not convenient, it's not much of a store."

Eagle Stops feature 99-cent fountain drinks (any size), and Fisher said they hope to co-brand more of the stores with restaurants, like the one in Jefferson City that's paired with Lutz's Famous BBQ.

He said they could look to add restaurants such as McDonald's, Taco Bell or more Lutz's locations.