Baltus Oil

Frank M. Baltus became manager of the station in 1926 and became sole proprietor of the business in 1941. Frank's business experienced tough times during the Depression, and during World War II due to gas and tire rationing. In 1943 Frank's son, Vernon, began working for the company while attending Marshfield Senior High School. In 1963 he built th... e Baltus Service Center, a full-service gasoline station and automotive service center. A few years later, he added the Baltus Car Wash. It was one of the first automatic car washes in the northern half of the state. Later that year, the business was incorporated as The Baltus Oil Company, Inc. The 1980's saw a revolution take place in the petroleum industry. Obsolete service stations were replaced by an entirely new marketing concept, the convenience store, or "C-Store". The Baltus Oil Company's first convenience store, named the Bread & Butter Shop, was opened November 1, 1982. In July 1990 the Baltus Express Lube and Service Center was opened for business. The "express lube" oil change outlet was a new concept at that time, and provided an oil change and maintenance inspection without an appointment in ten minutes or less. In the early 1990's another trend was emerging in the petroleum industry, combination C-Store/fast-food outlets known as "co-branded" stores. In the spring of 1995, work began on the largest development in the company's history; a Bread and Butter Shop/Subway co-brand, automatic car wash, and a warehouse facility. This development opened August 23, 1995, and features a full size Subway restaurant with seating for 50, a fully automatic exterior car wash, state-of-the-art auto and truck fueling systems, including credit card accepting petroleum dispensers and 3,000 square foot warehouse facility. In 1998, Baltus purchased property in Wisconsin Rapids and built a strip shopping center, including a Bread & Butter Shop, A&W Restaurant, Subway Restaurant, a car wash, laundromat and dry cleaner. The Baltus Company also purchased two liquor stores, ...Read More