Ferncroft Business Loans, a small-business funding service in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, helps gas station and convenience store owners and buyers in Sheboygan County request term loans, inventory financing and equipment financing from lending partners. This page covers buying a station, fuel and store inventory, coolers and pumps, gas station loan requirements, and county figures for gasoline stations.
| Gasoline station employers, county | 44 (CBP 2023, NAICS 4471) |
|---|---|
| Paid employees | 586 (CBP 2023) |
| Share under five employees | 52.3% (CBP 2023) |
| Station employers in ZIP 53081 | 18 (ZBP 2023) |
Two Businesses Under One Canopy
Fuel is bought in large volumes on the supplier's terms. The store sells drinks, snacks, tobacco, lottery and food service. A station's cash cycle swings with fuel deliveries, and an owner who misjudges a delivery payment can run short even while the store is doing well.
Partners reviewing a station look at both sides separately: fuel gallons and margin, and inside sales and margin.
Buying a Gas Station or Convenience Store
Small business loans for a gas station purchase can be term loans, sometimes secured by the real estate when the land is included. The partner will want the seller's fuel and inside sales records, tax returns, the fuel supply agreement and its remaining term, and any environmental reports. Opening inventory can be financed separately.
Our post on buying a convenience store or gas station in Sheboygan, WI walks through the steps in order.
Fuel and Store Inventory
Store stock, such as drinks, packaged food, tobacco and supplies, can be financed with inventory financing when a large purchase is needed, such as stocking a newly bought store. Fuel may be covered by the supply agreement's terms or a line of credit.
Coolers, Pumps and Store Equipment
Walk-in coolers, reach-in doors, roller grills, coffee equipment, point-of-sale systems and, at the larger end, dispensers and canopy work are financed through equipment financing. Fuel system work can involve permits and specialized contractors; confirm with the local office, and get quotes and permit timing together before asking.
Gas Station Loan Requirements Partners Commonly Review
- Fuel gallons and inside sales by month, for at least the last year
- Business tax returns and bank statements
- The fuel supply agreement and its remaining term
- Environmental reports where the site is part of the deal
- Lease or purchase contract for the property
- Experience running a station or retail store
Gas station financing requirements differ from partner to partner, and some do not finance fuel sites at all. We find out before your request goes anywhere.
Questions to Put to a Seller
- How many gallons did the station sell each month for the last two years, and at what margin?
- What are inside sales by month, and how much comes from lottery and tobacco, which earn little?
- When does the fuel supply agreement end, and can it be assigned to you?
- Which equipment is owned, which is leased, and which belongs to the fuel supplier?
- Are there environmental reports for the site, and how recent are they?
Sellers who cannot answer these with records are asking you to finance a guess. Partners will ask the same questions.
Car Washes, Food Service and Other Add-Ons
A station may add a car wash bay, hot food, a coffee bar or a propane exchange. Each brings its own equipment and may bring its own permits. An owner adding hot food is adding a small restaurant, with the equipment and inspections that implies. These additions can fit equipment financing, with any building work on a term loan.
Illustrative Arithmetic: Gross Margin by Line
Illustrative only; figures chosen for easy math. A station sells 60,000 gallons a month at a 20-cent margin, which is $12,000 of gross margin. Its store sells $90,000 a month at a 30% margin, which is $27,000. In this illustration the store produces more than twice the gross margin of the fuel. A purchase plan that shows margin line by line, not only total sales, makes that visible.
Gas Stations in Sheboygan County, WI
Sheboygan County had 44 gasoline station employers in 2023, with 586 employees and about $15.8 million in payroll (CBP 2023, NAICS 4471); 52.3% had fewer than five employees. Eighteen had a ZIP 53081 address (ZBP 2023). Stand-alone convenience stores are a much smaller Census category, with three employers (NAICS 445120); stations that also run a store are counted under gasoline stations.
Stations share inventory questions with retail stores. Countywide numbers sit on the Sheboygan, WI page; every sector on the industries hub.
By Ferncroft Business Loans · Updated