Pa. gas station owner: Pet portraits win customers
MILLVILLE, Pa. (AP) — More than 50 large dog portraits adorn the three canopies that hover over the gas pumps at Woolcock Oil.
The furry, four-legged friends have become an integral part of the business model, right down to the name of the place: Dog Gone Good Fuel.
"It just came to me one day while I was walking my two golden retrievers and it stuck," says owner Jerry Woolcock, who renamed the place in 2008 when the station became independent.
The vinyl laminate portraits are all local dogs, some Woolcock's own. The rest are pets of longtime customers who live in and around the Millville area.
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Few complaints
There are also dogs running around at the station, including Archie and Max, who follow Woolcock wherever he goes.
Employee Jena Pass brings her three beagles to work with her daily.
Kids will beg their parents to stop by the station just to pet the hounds, says Pass, who has worked at Woolcock's for three years. And it's not out of the ordinary for two or three canines to greet you as you walk into the convenience store.
"Customers seem to really like it," Pass says, smiling at her own pups.
There have been countless compliments and only one or two complaints about the station going to the dogs, literally.
There are even a few regulars who will buy snacks, like Nutter Butter cookies, to feed the pets.
"Any dog that can behave itself is more than welcome," Woolcock says of the lax restrictions on the animals in his shop.
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Business doubled
Woolcock has owned the place for 27 years, more than two decades of which were under the Texaco name. It was five years ago when that contract expired, and he decided against renewing it.
A number of sales reps told him the business wouldn't make it more than a few months unbranded. He took his chances and came up with a way to make his station stand out from the rest.
The dog theme resonated with both locals and people just passing by, Woolcock says. After 60 days of the Dog Gone Good Fuel sign being erected, business nearly doubled.
People then started coming by and taking pictures of the canopies while they filled up their tank. Customers continue to do the same even now, Woolcock says.
The dogs are just one of the ways he incorporates the community into his business, the three ladies working in the shop agreed. Woolcock sponsors Little League teams, purchases food for resale from local businesses and hires high school students looking to make some extra cash.
"He loves the people and the local community," says Pass.
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Room for more
Some customers have noted: "Hey, my dog isn't up there." But Woolcock says it's not too difficult to make it happen.
All people have to do is bring in a photo of their dog. "I try my best to get them made and put up there," he says.
So far, he has invested about $20,000 on the project and credits the dogs with helping his business thrive. "It's well worth it," said Woolcock.
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Information from: Press Enterprise, http://www.pressenterpriseonline.com
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
