The Schwabe’s opened Sunoco independently in 2011, it had been there sitting empty for over a year. When they began implementing their vision, they knew they wanted to do more for the community than just sell gas to people. It was their heart to establish a family friendly atmosphere where they could personally connect with their customers. “We take time to get to know the people who cross our path,” Trish Schwabe conveyed. “A lot of times people will share about their loved ones down the road, they have the sticker on them that shows they had their temperature checked so we know they just came from the hospital or cancer treatment center… they can stop here and regroup. We offer a kind word and prayer.”
Being off the interstate draws in an array of different people, “we see drifters and the homeless, you would be surprised what happens when you just acknowledge people and show you care. They have come back later and told us how much their experience here at Sunoco meant to them.”
The Schwabe’s even monitor what kind of music is played on the airwaves so that people with little kids don’t have to worry about what they are going to hear. Trish helps women and babies as a board member for The Women's Resource Center and talks about her passion for family ministries, a part of the reason Sunoco became supporters of Through The Gate. She recalls when TTG was in its developmental stages, “the women in the program would come in here 3 or 4 at a time and I would talk to them. They were like bubbly teenagers with this newfound joy, with hope they hadn’t had in a long time…it was another part of the timeline”, she explained “If it is important enough to be helping women with babies, it is important to help those babies when they are older and need help.” She paused in thought before declaring that “God created families…and Through The Gate restores families, that is why I wanted to get involved.”
Over half of Sunoco’s customers are locals who want to support mom and pop businesses. They were the 7th public CNG fueling station in Indiana; offering alternative fuels/natural gas, ethanol free recreational fuel, and 110 octane race fuel. They have been awarded best gas station in the county multiple times in a row and best tenderloin twice! They are becoming so well known for their delicious food that they are calling themselves “a restaurant that sells gas, instead of a gas station that sells food!” I know that I will personally go out of my way to choose Sunoco Midwest Clean Fuel, passing multiple other gas stations just to get there!
Visit Sunoco on facebook to get updates on tasty specials or go in to apply for a job, they are hiring! Sunoco Midwest Clean Fuel - 2501 Lafayette Ave, Crawfordsville, IN 47933 Sunoco Midwest Clean Fuel
Enter #peopleofmoco to see upcoming stories about local people and businesses from Through The Gate on facebook!
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