Garvin Oil Company, parent company of Kent's Korner Convenience Stores, with headquarters in Wagener, has been featured in the Independent Gasoline Marketing (IGM) magazine's May/June 2012 issue. IGM is the official publication of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA), an organization consisting of America's leading fuel marketers.
Mark Ward wrote a significant piece about Garvin Oil after his interview with Garvin Oil CEO and President Chad Ingram. Ward and Ingram discussed the transformation you may have noticed with the Kent's Korner brand and their social media presence as well as the recent "remodeled travel center, a $2 million project and prototype for the company's evolving approach to fuel retailing and convenience store merchandising." Ingram acknowledges the company's shift of focus from major fuel brands to their own brand identity, an identity those of us in Wagener say “feels like home.”
The 19 Kent's Korner convenience stores and 2 travel centers are being renovated to a new design that combines the red-white-and-blue KK graphic with classic brick and stone accents. The new storefronts on the exterior and the fountain islands on the interior, along with big screen TV interior advertising present a uniform brand customers can recognize and trust. “We're eventually looking to do our own branded foodservice.” Ingram told Ward.
“Our slogan is 'Trusted Quality, Real Value,'” Ingram told Ward. “Our model works because local people know us. They can trust us for friendly service, fantastic coffee, and market-low prices on gasoline and diesel. Our up-branding reinforces that trust and will allow us to extend it into new areas such as foodservice.” Sigma uses the term “geographic marketers” referring to companies like Kent's Korner that leverage local name recognition into regional dominance.
Ward writes that Garvin Oil plans to “up-brand” two or three sites per year until most 21 stores have been renovated, primarily using their in house construction division under the leadership of Ingram's brother Chase Ingram, Vice President of Garvin Oil. At the same time, some stores will be expanded. Ingram told Ward “Some older sites have stores as small as 1,500 square feet.” That brings to my mind the corner lot Ingram's father, Kent Ingram and his wife, Phyllis recently donated to the town of Wagener. This was the site of the second Kent's Korner convenience store ever built. The decision to close instead of expand was made with the end result being a generous donation to our town.
Kent Ingram, Chad's father, began running the business nearly twenty years after his uncle, Barney Garvin, first opened a gas station in 1957. Kent showed the same entrepreneurial spirit we now see in his son Chad by expanding into convenience stores. The first Kent's Korner was in Williston; the second, Wagener, across from First Baptist Church. Stores soon followed in Springfield and Barnwell. Chad told Ward he began helping out at age six and pumping gas by age nine.
Kent Ingram put Chad in charge after Chad graduated from the University of Georgia. Chad took over operations while Kent focused back on the construction needs of the company. Currently, Chad's brothers Chase and Clay Ingram are also integral to the business, with Chase sitting in the Vice President seat and Clay, CIO.
Like many other expanding Wagener business owners, Chad Ingram is quick to point out transformation has to include technological advances. Garvin Oil's IT department is led by Clay Ingram. As told to Ward, “Without the IT division pushing the envelope, at least for a small town company like ours, we would be lagging instead of leading in our market area.” Kent's Korner is now active on Facebook and Twitter and they have a mobile phone app customers can download for special deals, coupons, current gas prices and a store locator.
“We would be nowhere near where we are today without the efforts of my Key Men, our IT division leader as well as our construction division head.” Ingram also acknowledges the support of family, friends, mentors and especially employees. Lastly, Ingram told Ward, “My dad (Kent), my Mom (Phyllis), as well as my great Uncle 'B' (Barney Willard Garvin) were the genesis of this Company and inspiration for all of our accomplishments; yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's.”
Sigma's IGM magazine is by subscription only. Subscriptions are available at www.Sigma.org or call (703) 709-7000.
Read the article in full at Facebook.com/Kent'sKornerConvenience In The News tab.
