Elmwater Capital, based in Midland, Michigan, helps Midland County fuel stop and convenience store owners compare inventory financing, term loans and equipment financing for fuel, store stock, pumps and purchases. Funding partners review each request and set any terms; this page uses Census counts for the county's stations and stores.
At a glance
- Gasoline stations, Midland County, MI
26 (CBP 2023)
- Convenience stores, Midland County, MI
10 (CBP 2023)
- Both, our sum
36 (CBP 2023)
Fuel Stops and Convenience Stores in Midland County, MI by the Numbers
Midland County, MI had 26 gasoline stations with employees in 2023 (CBP, NAICS 4471, a group that includes stations with convenience stores), and 10 convenience stores without fuel (NAICS 445120), 36 in all by our sum. Only 4 of the gas stations, 15.4%, had fewer than five employees.
Annual payroll was $5.1 million at gas stations and $803,000 at convenience stores (CBP 2023). Of the county's gas stations, 13 sat in ZIP 48640 (ZBP 2023).
How to Buy a Gas Station Business? What Midland, MI Owners Should Know
- Get the seller's last three years of tax returns, fuel gallon reports and store sales.
- Ask which parts are for sale: the business, the real estate, or both.
- Check the fuel supply agreement: who supplies the fuel, the term and any branding requirements.
- Order an environmental review of the tanks and site before closing.
- Price the deal in parts: business, equipment, store stock, fuel on hand, and any real estate.
Midland, MI Owners Ask: How to Get a Loan for a Gas Station?
A loan for a gas station is read against two income streams: fuel, which brings large sales on thin per-gallon earnings, and the store, where the earnings per sale are larger. A partner wants both broken out, plus the fuel supply agreement and the condition of the tanks.
The real estate under a station is commercial property lending, which Elmwater does not arrange. The business, equipment and stock are what partners here fund.
Can You Get a Loan for a Gas Station? A Midland County, MI Answer
Yes, with a clear record. Partners may finance the business purchase on a term loan, pumps and dispensers on equipment financing, and fuel and store stock on inventory financing. A buyer with retail or fuel experience and some cash in the deal gives a partner more to work with.
Illustration only, invented figures: a $520,000 station business purchase (real estate excluded) split into $80,000 of buyer cash, a $60,000 seller note and a $380,000 term loan ($80,000 + $60,000 + $380,000 = $520,000).
How to Buy a Convenience Store for a Midland County, MI Business?
Buying a convenience store without fuel is a deal with fewer moving parts: the business, the store equipment (coolers, shelving, registers) and the stock. Partners read the seller's sales and tax returns and any lottery or tobacco records the store keeps. Coolers and walk-in units suit equipment financing; opening stock suits inventory financing.
Grocery-style stores with more fresh food sit closer to the retail page, which covers inventory lines.
A Commercial Loan for a Gas Station: Pumps, Tanks and Store in Midland, MI
A commercial loan for a gas station covers three kinds of project. Pump and dispenser upgrades, such as card readers at the pump, are equipment. Tank replacement or lining is a site project that needs environmental work and permits. A store remodel or canopy is a term-loan purpose.
Fuel loads are a constant cash need: each delivery is paid for before the fuel sells. Inventory financing or a line of credit can cover the timing.
Business Loans for Gas Stations Around Midland, MI
Business loans for gas stations follow the station's records: gallon reports, store sales, card processing statements and the supply agreement. Compare the inventory financing page for fuel and stock and the term loan page for purchases and remodels.
Auto repair, which some stations also offer, has its own page: auto shop loans. Census figures for the whole county are gathered on the Midland, MI data page.
Fuel Loads, Store Stock and Cash Timing at a Midland County, MI Station
Illustration only, invented figures: a station takes a fuel delivery of 8,000 gallons at a cost of $2.90 a gallon, or $23,200 ($2.90 x 8,000), paid when the fuel is delivered. If that load sells over ten days, the station carries the cost until the sales come in, while store stock, wages and card fees go out on their own schedule.
Card sales settle a day or two after the sale, and fuel suppliers set their own payment terms. Laying both out on a calendar shows the gap a line of credit or inventory financing would need to cover.
Records a Partner Reads for a Midland, MI Station or Store
- Monthly fuel gallon reports and store sales by category.
- Card processing statements and bank statements.
- The fuel supplier contract, plus any brand-image terms tied to it.
- Tank registration and inspection records.
- Tax returns for two to three years.
For a purchase, the same records come from the seller, along with the equipment list and the lease or property terms.
By Elmwater Capital · Updated
