What Fick & Sons does

Fick & Sons (legal entity C.F. Fick & Sons Inc.) is a privately held, family-owned energy and multi-format retail company headquartered in Grayling, Michigan, operating continuously since 1958. Its core business is the distribution and delivery of propane, fuel oil, heating oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel to residential and commercial customers across Northern Michigan, supported by a fleet of bobtail delivery trucks and four propane office hubs in Grayling, Houghton Lake, West Branch, and Mikado. The company applies propane-tank telemetry to enable automated Keep Full delivery scheduling and remote safety/leak monitoring, alongside road-facing vehicle cameras for fleet safety and routing.

The company operates a diversified secondary portfolio spanning convenience retail, travel-center hospitality, commercial cardlock fueling, and automotive repair. This includes the 35-acre Charlie's Country Corner travel center off I-75 exit 251 (with 80-truck parking, hot food, Arby's, CAT scales, and shower/laundry facilities), six-plus Marathon/Mitten Mart gas-station and convenience-store locations, a 24/7 Pacific Pride franchise cardlock station, the 60-room Grayling Super 8 by Wyndham, three Dunkin' Donuts franchise locations, and the adjacent Fick & Sons Diesel Garage. Commercial fuel transport is offered statewide under Marathon, Citgo, Clark, and unbranded labels via multi-terminal procurement.

Revenue is generated through per-gallon fuel pricing, delivery fees, subscription programs (Propane Price Club pre-buy, Keep Full auto-fill, budget payment plans), convenience-store and franchise retail transactions, fleet cardlock volumes, hotel room nights, and diesel repair service labor. The company serves both long-tail residential households (including seasonal residents) and commercial customers across hotels, restaurants, agriculture, construction, forklift operators, and trucking fleets, with no publicly disclosed financials.

Name

Fick & Sons

Legal name

C.F. Fick & Sons Inc.

Website

https://fickandsons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fick & Sons is a family-owned Northern Michigan propane and fuel distributor operating since 1958 that also runs a diversified portfolio of convenience stores, a travel center, a Super 8 hotel, Dunkin' franchises, and a diesel repair garage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Petroleum and Propane Distribution Services

NAICS

Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (45711), Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers (457), Fuel Dealers (45721), Fuel Dealers (457210), Fuel Dealers (4572)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Convenience Retail & Foodservice at Forecourts (C-Store/QSR) (EUALAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Truck Stops & Travel Centers (Heavy-Duty Retail) (EUALAIAF), Truck Stops & Travel Centers (Fuel + Convenience) (CRANAJAC), Non-Fuel Retail & Ancillary Forecourt Services (Car Wash, Auto Care, ATM/Lottery, Parcel Lockers) (EUALAIAJ), Bulk Fuel, Propane & Energy Supply for Farms (Retailer-Operated) (AFABAJAL)

Keywords

• Propane delivery services
• Heating fuel distribution
• Commercial cardlock fueling
• Convenience store retail
• Truck repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grayling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Propane Sales and Delivery: Fick & Sons delivers propane to residential and commercial customers across Northern Michigan via a fleet of bobtail delivery trucks. They offer residential and commercial propane delivery, cylinder exchange, and bulk propane transport. Revenue is generated through per-delivery charges, per-gallon pricing, and pre-buy program memberships.
2. Residential and Commercial Fuel Delivery: Delivery of fuel oil, heating oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel to residential and commercial customers. Includes heating fuel delivery with auto-fill options and budget payment plans. Revenue per gallon and delivery fees.
3. Convenience Store Retail: Fick & Sons owns and operates convenience stores and travel centers: Charlie's Country Corner, Mitten Mart, Sunny Spot, Bear Lakes Marathon, Lincoln Marathon, Crossroads Market of Whittemore, and Pacific Pride. Revenue from in-store merchandise, hot food (including Arby's at Charlie's Country Corner), beverages, and convenience items. Charlie's Country Corner alone sells approximately 500 cups of coffee daily.
4. Lodging (Super 8 by Wyndham): The Grayling Super 8 by Wyndham offers economy lodging with an indoor pool, whirlpool, dog park, and free breakfast. Revenue is generated through nightly room rates. The hotel is Wyndham Rewards affiliated.
5. Commercial Fleet Cardlock Fueling (Pacific Pride): As a Pacific Pride franchisee, Fick & Sons operates a 24/7 cardlock commercial fueling station in Grayling offering unleaded gasoline, recreational ethanol-free gasoline, and diesel products. Revenue from fleet card transactions and bulk fuel sales to commercial accounts.
6. Diesel Repair Services: Fick & Sons Diesel Garage provides heavy-duty, light-duty, and RV repairs adjacent to Charlie's Country Corner travel center, generating revenue from service labor and parts for truck drivers and travelers.
7. Dunkin' Donuts Franchise: Three Dunkin' Donuts locations in Grayling, West Branch, and Mount Pleasant operated as Fick & Sons franchises, generating revenue from coffee, donuts, and food sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fick & Sons delivers propane, fuel oil, heating oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel to residential and commercial customers across Northern Michigan. The company operates four propane dispatch offices and an integrated network of convenience stores, gas stations, a commercial cardlock fueling station, an economy hotel, and a diesel repair garage. Revenue is generated through per-delivery and per-gallon fuel charges, retail merchandise and food sales, franchise food and beverage sales, hotel room rates, fleet card transactions, and repair service labor and parts.

Product overview

Fick & Sons is a diversified energy and retail company serving Northern Michigan since 1958. The company operates a core portfolio of propane and fuel delivery services (residential propane, commercial propane, home heating fuels, and commercial fueling/transport) alongside a network of convenience store brands including Charlie's Country Corner travel center, Mitten Mart, Dunkin' Donuts franchises, Marathon gas stations, and Super 8 by Wyndham hotel. The company also operates Pacific Pride cardlock fueling network and a diesel repair garage. These products are unified under the Fick & Sons family brand with shared service infrastructure across four propane office locations in Grayling, Houghton Lake, West Branch, and Mikado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Propane Services Residential propane delivery service providing home heating, water heating, cooking, and appliance fuel to homeowners and seasonal residents across Northern Michigan from four propane dispatch offices (Grayling, Houghton Lake, West Branch, Mikado). Includes automated Keep Full delivery, budget payment plans, auto pay, and Propane Price Club pre-buy programs.
• Commercial Propane Delivery Bulk propane delivery for commercial customers across all of Michigan, including hotels and restaurants, forklift motor fuel, agriculture operations, fleet autogas, builders and construction temporary heating, cylinder exchange, and bulk propane transport. Customized propane solutions with dedicated account management and 24/7 availability.
• Home Heating Fuel Delivery Residential delivery of fuel oil, heating oil, and kerosene for home heating, with auto-fill options and deliveries dispatched from the Grayling propane office. Kerosene is also available at the Sunny Spot convenience store in Roscommon.
• Residential Fuel Delivery Delivery of gasoline, diesel, and heating fuels to residential addresses, marinas, farms, and plants across Northern Michigan, including unleaded, premium, recreational gas, off-road diesel, and on-road diesel products.
• Commercial Fueling and Fuel Transport Commercial transport of bulk propane and petroleum products statewide in Michigan, under Marathon, Citgo, Clark, and unbranded labels, with multiple terminal sourcing for competitive pricing and 24/7 support.
• Pacific Pride Cardlock Fueling Fick & Sons' 24/7 Pacific Pride franchise cardlock commercial fueling station in Grayling, offering unleaded 87 gasoline, recreational 89 ethanol-free gasoline, #2 diesel clear, and #2 premium diesel clear. Accepts fleet cards including PrideLock, Network, Blue, Network Plus, Network Super Plus, PrideComplete, and Pride Advantage, with access to the broader Pacific Pride network across Michigan and North America.
• Charlie's Country Corner Travel Center 35-acre premier travel center in Grayling off I-75 Exit 251 featuring a full convenience store, hot food, an Arby's restaurant, 80-truck parking lot, recreational fuel, deli, Super 8 hotel access, showers, laundry, and CAT scales; approximately 500 cups of coffee sold daily.
• Dunkin' Donuts Franchise Locations Three Dunkin' Donuts franchise locations operated by Fick & Sons in Grayling, West Branch, and Mount Pleasant, offering coffee, donuts, and sandwiches. The Grayling and Mount Pleasant locations are attached to Mitten Mart convenience stores.
• Mitten Mart Convenience Stores Two Mitten Mart convenience store locations in Grayling and Mount Pleasant, each attached to a Dunkin' Donuts, offering fuel, snacks, donuts, and coffee as a Michigan-born convenience brand operated by Fick & Sons.
• Grayling Super 8 by Wyndham 60-room Super 8 by Wyndham economy hotel located off I-75 Exit 251 in Grayling, featuring heated indoor pool and whirlpool, pet-friendly rooms with fenced dog run, free SuperStart breakfast, 24-hour coffee and tea service, guest laundromat, bus/truck parking, business center, and Wyndham Rewards loyalty participation.
• Fick & Sons Diesel Garage Full-service diesel repair facility next to Charlie's Country Corner in Grayling, providing heavy-duty, light-duty, and RV repairs and 24-hour diesel sales for truck drivers and travelers along the I-75 corridor.
• Lincoln Marathon Gas Station Marathon gas station in Lincoln, Michigan offering propane cylinder refill/exchange, off-road diesel, recreational gas, and deli goods.
• Sunny Spot Marathon Gas Station Sunny Spot Marathon gas station in downtown Roscommon, Michigan, offering fuel, coffee, kerosene, and propane cylinder exchanges.
• Crossroads Market of Whittemore Convenience store at the corner of M-55 and M-65 in Whittemore, Michigan, featuring a deli selection, beer cave, racing fuel, and refueling needs.
• Bear Lakes Marathon Fuel Station Marathon fuel station between Grayling and Kalkaska on a popular trailhead, offering recreational and premium fuel for ATVs, UTVs, and snowmobiles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Michigan has approximately 315,000 propane households consuming ~500 million gallons per year, with 200 million gallons for space heating and 27 million gallons for water heating

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pacific PridecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFick & Sons is a franchisee of Pacific Pride, the nation's largest cardlock fueling network with hundreds of sites in Michigan and thousands across the United States and Canada. Fick & Sons operates a Pacific Pride commercial cardlock fueling station in Grayling, open 24/7, offering fleet card acceptance and commercial fueling services. The partnership provides Fick & Sons commercial customers with access to the broader Pacific Pride network and branded fuel products.
• Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (Super 8)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFick & Sons owns and operates the Grayling Super 8 by Wyndham, an economy hotel franchise of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The hotel is located just off I-75, exit 251, across from Charlie's Country Corner travel center. The partnership provides Fick & Sons with Wyndham's brand recognition, Wyndham Rewards loyalty program, and reservation systems, while Fick & Sons operates the property as a franchisee.
• Marathon, Citgo, Clark (Fuel Brands)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFick & Sons offers commercial transport of bulk propane and petroleum products under Marathon, Citgo, Clark, and unbranded brand labels. The company pulls fuel from multiple terminals throughout Michigan to offer competitive pricing. These brand relationships allow Fick & Sons to market fuel under recognized national brands at its convenience stores and fueling stations.
• Arby's RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArby's restaurant is located within Charlie's Country Corner travel center, Fick & Sons' 35-acre premier travel plaza in Grayling. The co-location drives cross-traffic between the convenience store, travel center amenities, and hot food restaurant, enhancing the travel center's appeal to truckers and travelers on I-75.
• CAT ScalesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAT Scales are installed at Charlie's Country Corner travel center, enabling truck drivers to weigh their vehicles. The partnership with CAT Scales enhances the travel center's appeal to commercial trucking customers and complements Fick & Sons Diesel Garage's truck repair services.
• Dunkin' Brands Group LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFick & Sons operates three Dunkin' Donuts locations in Grayling, West Branch, and Mount Pleasant as a franchisee. Mitten Mart convenience stores in Grayling and Mount Pleasant share locations with Dunkin' Donuts. The franchise relationship provides brand recognition, product supply, the Dunkin' mobile app with ordering and rewards, and co-branding with convenience store operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Ferrellgas Partners: One of the largest U.S. propane distributors, serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers with tank monitoring and auto-fill programs. Directly comparable to Fick & Sons' propane distribution core, though at far greater national scale.
• AmeriGas Propane: Largest U.S. retail propane distributor with residential and commercial delivery, tank rental, and auto-refill programs. Direct competitor in the propane distribution category, with overlapping customer programs (pre-buy, budget billing, will-call).
• Suburban Propane Partners: National propane, fuel oil, and refined fuels distributor serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers. Comparable business model to Fick & Sons' residential propane and home heating fuel delivery, with similar auto-fill and budget-billing programs.
• Quality Oil Company: Privately held regional fuel marketer and convenience store operator based in the U.S. Southeast with branded fuel, cardlock, and C-store operations. Closely comparable as a regional, multi-format fuel and convenience retailer, though in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Pilot Travel Centers: One of the largest U.S. travel-center and truck-stop operators, with branded fuel, food, parking, scales, showers, and lodging along major interstates. Directly comparable to Charlie's Country Corner's bundled travel-center offering, though at significantly larger national scale.
• TravelCenters of America (BP): Acquired by BP in 2023, operates full-service travel centers with fuel, full-service and quick-service restaurants, truck repair, and lodging. Comparable to Fick & Sons' integrated travel-center, diesel garage, and hotel model.
• Sunoco LP: Master limited partnership distributing motor fuels to dealers and commercial customers across the U.S., with growing convenience-store exposure. Comparable to Fick & Sons' commercial fuel distribution and branded Marathon/Citgo/Clark resale.
• Marathon Petroleum: Parent of the Marathon fuel brand that Fick & Sons resells at multiple retail locations. Comparable as a counterparty in the wholesale fuel supply chain and a brand licensor for Fick & Sons' branded Marathon stations (Bear Lakes, Lincoln, Sunny Spot).

Others

• Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores: National travel-center chain offering fuel, food, lodging, repair, and parking along major U.S. interstates. Comparable to Charlie's Country Corner's bundled truck-stop format, including on-site diesel repair and franchise QSR partnerships.

Regional players

• Meijer: Michigan-based supercenter retailer operating gas stations and convenience offerings across the Midwest. Comparable as a Michigan-headquartered multi-format retailer with fuel retail, though primarily a grocery anchor rather than a fuel marketer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCC_Marathon
• Facebookfacebook.com/fickandsons

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fick & Sons