FEATURED BUSINESS OF THE MONTH!!

MERLE BOES SERVICE STATIONS

We recently interviewed the local Merle Boes Service Station and this is what they had to say about themselves:

• When did you start your business?

Merle Boes, Inc. began in 1929.

• What is unique about your business?

MB stores offer tons of choices for your snacking enjoyment and just the right beverage to refresh and recharge for the day. Add to that our premium fuel and fantastic customer service, and you’ll always be on the lookout for the nearest MB store, wherever life takes you! And relax – there are 22 stores in West Michigan to choose from. 

• What products and or services do you provide?

MB provides a wide variety of food and beverages to help fuel you up throughout your day, along with plenty of home and auto necessities. We also have four restaurants serving up fresh, healthy options and tasty crowd-pleasers. Our Fennville store is home to a Subway Restaurant, and we have two Junction Pizza & Subs locations in West Olive and another in Grand Rapids. Junction Pizza & Subs offers delicious pizza, toasted subs, fresh wraps and salads, tasty appetizers and sides, and much more. Our Yellow Jacket location also serves up rotisserie chicken and the most melt-in-your-mouth broasted chicken you’ve ever tasted!

And did you know? Our MB Fluids division offers many services including Lubricants, Reclamation, Wholesale Fuel, Fleet Fueling (including on-site fuel service and Pacific pride), with the best customer service and expertise to go with it!

• Give us a little background history on your business.

Bert Boes started off as an agent in 1929 for a company called “Standard Oil of Indiana” in Holland, Michigan. His son, Merle, worked as a truck driver and in 1959, took over as agent. During that time the company became Amoco Oil Company. In 1975, Merle made the switch from agent to jobber and the result was Merle Boes, Inc. The company provided fuel and lubricants in the West Michigan area, and in 1978, the first service station was added on to the corporate offices on Lakewood Boulevard in Holland.

Merle’s son Mike began working at that first station, and over the years he learned all the various aspects of the business, working with his dad to expand the company. In 1990, Merle Boes retired and Mike became head of the family business. Mike has contributed to the growth of Merle Boes, Inc., and has made a positive impact with the surrounding communities. In addition to its convenience stores, MB delivers high quality Marathon, Shell, and BP products to over 40 Michigan dealers.

• Are you running any specials?  If so, for how long?

MB offers monthly specials on various food, beverage, and convenience products.

• Do you have any customer testimonials or quotes?

Midwest Sign Company:

There’s a new Merle Boes, Inc. open on East Beltline! We just finished installing their new signs. Stop by and check it out! 

Kim Schrotenboer:

         Thank you for your support and contribution to the Holland Zeeland Relay for Life. We appreciate you joining us in the fight against       

         cancer. 

• What is the one thing everyone who hears about your business asks?  Now’s your chance to answer. 

For the MB Fluids division, customers most often ask about MB’s flexibility, speed and choice. As a result, MB is adding more and more content to our website which is fueling the customer’s thirst for knowledge. However, what they’re often missing is that this increase in knowledge is leading to an increase in questions of a more complex nature. As a result, there is a growing requirement for good online support as well as traditional offline support for those customers who need or want it. MB does that, and we do it well!   

• Do you support a community charity or event?

We love making connections in our community! Our Fueling Hope program offers different featured products every month with a portion of sales going to support an outstanding local charitable organization, such as local law enforcement teams, animal shelters, Helen DeVos Foundation, My House Ministry, Bethany Christian Services, local schools, and many, many more. We also host a charity golf outing every summer to support a deserving local organization, and sponsor various community events and programs throughout the year.

• Anything else you would like to add?

The art of good business is in achieving a high level of effectiveness (doing the right things) with efficiency – thereby delivering the right service for the customers!

• Do you have any upcoming events happening that we may mention in our advertisement? 

Here is our Fueling Hope promotion for the upcoming month. It’s a great way to work with the folks in our community to support a great organization, and at the same time provide our guests’ favorite products at a sweet price, too!

VISIT YOUR LOCAL MB STATION SOON!!