Stuhlsatz Service Station, 2023.

When you enter Garden Plain, you’ll see Stuhlsatz Service to the west. It might look like an ordinary small gas station, but its history and stories go all the way back to January 14, 1950. Since then, the station has been run by the same family, the Stuhlsatzs’. Clarence M. Stuhlsatz and his wife, Lorene Stuhlsatz, were the first to start the business, with Clarence being the head of it all. Many people recall him as a hard working man who never slept and he always lent out a helping hand. All of his eight kids at some point in their life worked there, one of them being Kenneth Stuhlsatz.

When Kenneth Stuhlsatz graduated from Garden Plain High School in 1955, he didn’t know that he would end up taking over part of the business around 1983. He first worked for Card Whale Factoring building oil rigs. In 1965, Clarence bought out his brother’s share and Kenneth came into the business. The building went through many changes and was rebuilt to better the service and business. Across the street they built the Garden Plain Service Center in 1975 so they could have more storage and room. The business incorporated to all eight kids in 1983. Slowly the siblings started to break off from the business, leaving only three remaining.

As of right now some goals of his are to keep expanding and to have bigger storage units available. Along with that Stuhlsatz is always trying to make the business better. The station has gone through many changes, like what brand of gas they are selling, hence why the name changed from Derby, to Coastal, to Phillips, to Conoco Phillips, then back to Phillips, and now in 2023 going unbranded, Stuhlsatz Service. One thing remains the same, the hard work and dedication that the employees put into making the business great everyday. There have been countless laughs, smiles, and memorable memories from that one small place in this small town.