When traveling through Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau, the gas stations look different than they once were.
Formerly BP, now independent Northway Convenience Stores.
Northway owner Jeff Plamondon says BP wanted a long contract to renew.
“We were loyal to BP even through their Deepwater horizon oil spill mishap,” he said. “We went through the thick and thin with them. And after years of doing it their way and looking at how to run a business, I can do it our own way. I ran some different ideas past my wife and names through friends, and I came to conclusion of Northway, and my wife’s a graphic designer, so she completed the visual.”
Re-branding has lasted over the past couple of months with delays from subcontractors. They originally wanted it done before Memorial Day.
“I couldn’t do this without my coworkers. I wouldn’t expect them to do anything unless I was able to do it. And we’ve been fortunate to have the same staff for many years,” Plamondon said.
His parents, John and Janice Plamondon, started a standard full-service oil back in the early 1970s, then Amoco took over Standard Oil.
In the 1970s the biggest profit was fuel oil deliveries and then farm and commercial fuel delivery.
“John saw the writing on the wall with fuel oil declining, and he started the concept that was starting to take over self serve station format because it used to be full service,” Plamondon said.
Back in 1983, Jeff pumped fuels at J and J food shop at 13-years-old. Plamondon’s started the self-serve format in 198586 and it was a poster child for Amoco before and after, according to Plamondon.
He originally wanted to be a pilot then ended up pursuing his fathers business because he was ready to retire.
“That opened my eyes to what was around me and doing some traveling across the country. I wanted take over the business, and my dad was ready to retire. So it worked out perfect,” Plamondon said.
At one time, the Suttons Bay store was the only gas station for at least an eight-mile radius.
In 1999, they built the current Lake Leelanau gas station. BP ended up buying Amoco in the early 2000s.
Northway will be continuing with its supplier Brenner Oil as a common carrier.
“I enjoy working with Brenner Oil. They do what they say they’re gonna do. There’s no, sorry, can’t make it,” Plamondon said.
He added that the hardest part of this process was dealing with the credit card process.
“There are a lot of snakes in the grass when it comes of credit card processing. I was very disappointed with some of these sales tactics these companies use that want to get your business, and the fees they want to impose was incredible,” Plamondon said. “Every salesman or representative of these credit card companies wanted to see what you’re paying and then make an offer. That’s not the way I do business. I can’t do business that way ... Dealing with that and watching some of these credit card processors reduce the rates three times when I’m like, well, you guys kind of out of the picture here.”
He found a co-op called Grow-Mark that he is happy with.
As Northway grips with its summer rush under the new name, Plamondon relates his profession to cherry farmers.
“Nobody or very few people want to put in the time when cherry farmers have to shake relentlessly during the best weather of the summer. They’re always on eggshells, depending on weather because they’re weather dependent, and so are we,” he said.
Plamondon is happy that COVID is over because of the amount of stress it caused his business.
“My absolute best coworkers have been semi retirees or retirees. That generation, their work ethic, they do what they say they’re gonna do. Before COVID 60% of my workforce was semi retirees,” Plamondon said.
