How I Bought A Gas Station and Now Make $37 Million

The “Boring” Business That Prints Revenue

Most people drive past gas stations without a second thought. This family didn’t. In 2019, they bought their first location—an ARCO priced at $3.5M, using a hard-earned $1M down payment saved from years in trucking and station management. Today? They operate eight stations generating a jaw-dropping $37 million in yearly revenue.

Where the Real Money Hides

Fuel brings traffic—but the store brings profit. Their revenue mix is roughly 40% outside (fuel) and 60% inside (snacks, drinks, essentials). Inside merchandise runs around 30% margin, while fuel margins are slimmer—about $0.20–$0.30 per gallon—so they win on volume.

Lean Ops, Tight Controls

Each store runs with 7–8 employees (plus a manager) paid about $15–$16/hour, with monthly payroll and expenses around $15K–$20K per station (excluding fuel and inventory). To prevent shrink, they use inventory software, monthly cycle counts, and audits.

Old-School Marketing, Repeat Customers

No fancy ads—just coffee cards, parade candy, local sponsorships, and community presence. About 80% of customers are locals who come back daily.

The Secret Weapon

Add food and you become the ultimate “one-stop shop.” And in a couple of years, that first $1M? Recovered—then the profits really start flowing.

Watch the full video here from the Upflip Youtube Channel