Laura and Jeff Jones have reopened the gas station in Orrock, with some help from their managers Brendan, Jayme, and Robin. The Joneses have lived in Orrock for over 20 years and they also own the Sand Dunes Auto repair shop a couple doors down.

Reopening

The store, which is a Marathon gas station, has been open for two weeks and offers 24-7 pay-at-pump fuel services. Inside, they sell pre-packaged bait and have a deli, along with other typical convenience store fare. The Joneses decided to purchase and reopen the gas station, off of Co. Rd. 5 near Co. Rd. 4, after its nine-month closure in order to support the other businesses on that road. Laura said that they needed a central hub in the area. Snowmobiles needed a place to refuel. Campers and wildlife enthusiasts needed a place to grab supplies and snacks.

Upgrades to the store

After its closure, winter took its toll on the building. Laura mentioned that everything inside needed at least some maintenance. The building as a whole needed a good cleaning, all the electronics were broken and needed to be replaced, the gas pumps were also replaced, and the building needed new pipe work done (for which she wishes to give a special thank you to Brian Heins and his plumbing company out of Zimmerman.)

Goals for the Future

The Joneses have put a lot of time, love and money into reopening the shop, and they have great hopes for the future. They want to eventually convert the old car wash, which is not operational now, into a bait and sporting goods shop. If they did this, they would be excited to offer live and fresh bait rather than just the pre-packaged kind they are currently selling. They also hope to soon offer more options in the deli area of the store. They will also change the sign outside to say Sand Dunes Food and Fuel. Laura is excited to finally fix the spelling error on the current sign. As soon as the shop has a full staff, they hope to have a grand opening event, but they don’t have one planned at the moment.

Store Hours

The store hours are Monday-Friday from 6a.m. to 9p.m., Saturday from 8a.m. to 9p.m., and Sunday from 8a.m. to 8p.m.. Laura mentioned that these hours may change as they hire more staff and things begin to settle down.

A Big Thanks to the Community

Laura and Jeff want to give their most sincere thank yous to the friends and neighbors in the community who have given support. Laura says that they were moved by the kind words they have received both on Facebook and from customers coming in. The Jonses are excited for the future of the business.