Jiffy Mart & Tevis Motor Fuel, based in Westminster, Md., has been named 2011 Small Business of the Year by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and the Carroll County Department of Economic Development.
The award was presented Nov. 3 at a dinner held at the Portico of St. John for outstanding service to the Carroll County community. Jiffy Mart & Tevis Motor Fuel were nominated and selected based on performance and growth, innovation and creativity, competitiveness and community involvement.
Tevis Oil was formed in 1932. Tevis Motor Fuel began servicing its first service station in 1935.
In 1981, Tevis Oil diversified into the convenience store industry. The first store, originally called Tevco, was primarily a self-service truck stop featuring less expensive, unbranded gasoline, along with hot food, drinks, and several convenience items. Its location on Baltimore Boulevard in Finksburg was the perfect spot for the business to flourish. After the success of the first store, Tevis Oil continued to open new stores over the years with each one offering a little more than the last. In 1987 the Jiffy Mart brand was born and in 2001 all Tevco convenience stores were branded Jiffy Mart.
In Carroll County (Maryland), currently there are four Tevis Oil owned and operated convenience stores operating under the Jiffy Mart Brand. There are four leased convenience stores/service stations; two branded Shell, one branded BP and one unbranded. There are three additional locations outside of the county.
Of the Tevis Oil owned and operated stores operating under the Jiffy Mart brand, two of them feature Shell gasoline and two feature unbranded fuel. Three of the four have Subway Restaurants and one has a self-service car wash, which was recently upgraded. As of now, Jiffy Mart is exclusive to Carroll County. The friendly, family-oriented feeling customers experience in every Jiffy Mart is what sets the stores apart from the large, corporate convenience store chains. Jiffy Mart has come to be known as Carroll County’s “Hometown Convenience Store.”
Throughout the year of 2011, Jiffy Mart teamed with various local and national programs for fundraising events. The store associates along with customers and vendors have helped to raise funds for these very worthy programs:
National
o St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital $4,800 (2/2011)
o American Breast Cancer Foundation, $6,600 (10/2011)
Local
o Carroll County Hospital Foundation $3,000 (3/2011)
o Shepherds Staff $1,100 (12/2011)
o Westminster Police Department – $200 (9/2011)
Total 2011 Fundraising Efforts (four Jiffy Mart Stores combined) $15,700
2011 Additional Items “in the community”
o Currently working with the Carroll County Economic Development on the Gateway Renovation Project by remodeling their Finksburg facility (The first owned Tevis Oil store) to upgrade both the interior and exterior.
o As an added community service, Jiffy Mart recently added AED units to each location and to date have certified 24 associates through the American Red Cross on First Aid and CPR.
o Jiffy Mart sends 2-3 members each year to participate in the Leadership Carroll program.
o Jiffy Mart is now a member of the Leadership Carroll Alumni Association.
o Participates in local events such as Maryland Wine Festival, Westminster Fall Festival , Senior on the Go Expo, Hampstead Days, Finksburg Days & Chamber business networking events
o Jiffy Mart Stores work with area schools and churches for smaller donations, local events and store tours.
o Jiffy Mart partners with local agencies within the county such as ARC & DORS to help find job placement for those with special needs.
o Allowing non-profit organizations, Schools, local police departments, fire departments use of our digital marquees, road side reader boards and our newly installed interactive screens at the fuel pumps to promote special events or community service announcements.
o Utilizes Facebook site to also actively promote community events we are involved with and those we are not involved with.
o Now also does text alerts, to notify customers of hot specials as well as when the price of gasoline increases by five cents or more.
2011 Additional Accomplishments; Changes and Developments
o Shawnee Blauvelt of the Jiffy Mart on 1 Maga Way, Westminster, was named the 2011 Subway Manager of the Year of the Baltimore/Washington area (which consists of over 200 stores)
o 2011 Carroll’s Best Honorable Mention “Best Convenience Store”
o 2011 Carroll’s Best Honorable Mention “Best Car Wash”
o Increased same stores sales by 7% over 2010
o Increased Subway sales by 5% over 2010
o Motor Fuel ranks with the top 10% as a Shell wholesaler.
o Increased Car Wash sales by 28% over 2010
o Increased gasoline volume by 4.2%, Diesel volume by 2.1% over 2010, when the industry is trending down 2 – 3%
o Lighting upgrade at Westminster and Finksburg locations as shown kilowatt savings of 234,000 annually, which equates to 117 tons of coal or 90 tons of CO2.
o Active members of NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores), MAPDA (Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributor’s Association) and PEI (Petroleum Equipment Institute)
o Member of the MDE Ad Hoc Committee which writes the environmental regulations for the State of Maryland.
