tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post3448247584513744893..comments2024-03-05T12:21:40.044-06:00Comments on Daniel S Bridger's Trucking Blog: The war between Clark Oil & Refining and it’s dealersDanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13030368303892949012noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-40709310192223564142024-01-29T18:10:47.853-06:002024-01-29T18:10:47.853-06:00Thanks for your input! In response to us being min...Thanks for your input! In response to us being minors when we got our stations I don't believe it's true. Under Wisconsin law, you are an adult at 18 years of age, even though the feds force the states to prohibit alcohol until 21. I had just turned 19 years old when I got my station in 1971. I don't know kind of bullshit lease agreement you had with Clark with "lease margin" and "minimum draw"? They had absolutely no right under my lease to tell me what to charge for gasoline, cigarettes or anything else. I bought gasoline by the truckload and had 10 days to remit payment. It was up to me what I charged at the pump, with the exception of government price controls for a limited time. My original lease did require me to be open 24/7 365 days per year though. They relinquished on that with the Arab oil crisis. Clark got away with a lot of illegal crap back in those days. I remember the two Milwaukee area maintenace men being pulled off their schedule to go out and paint at Emory T. Clark's residence. Wish we could have nailed them for a lot more in the lawsuit!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13030368303892949012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-29452157873383593132023-09-13T17:40:16.840-05:002023-09-13T17:40:16.840-05:00Thank you Dan for your story. I enjoyed every bit...Thank you Dan for your story. I enjoyed every bit of it.<br /><br />I was unaware other minors (under Wisconsin law) became independent businessmen for Clark before reaching age 21. I was age 20 on 15jul1971 when I became dealer #2607.<br /> <br />Green Bay's Clark Oil & Refining district 14 included Ralph Brensike's station at 134 N Richmond St in Appleton where as Ralph's night shift employee I was recruited by territory manager Lloyd Freckmann and his boss John R Beebe.<br /><br />The year before, Ralph's station had undergone the disruption of installing a second underground tank for "Low-Lead" dispensers (gas pumps) because Emory T Clark's previous business plan was to only sell Premium gasoline. Don't remember what the explaination for only one grade of gas but as result, Ralph just had the one underground tank til 1970. We did serve a lot of 60's muscle car customers.<br /><br />I do recall being told Emory began in Real Estate which led to his ownership of a gas station. Unable to profit by its sale, he elected to operate it and became an accidental Oil industry success, eventually the 23rd largest refiner.<br /><br />I was offered a very recently built station #1525 which alreay had both of the 6800 gallon tanks.<br /><br />Lots of memories about giving out Clark candy bars for Halloween, filling our pocket window washing bottles from metal 2 gallon alcohol cans all winter long, the Orange belt with leather over the buckle so we wouldn't<br />scratch customer cars as we leaned over to clean ALL the windows.<br /><br />A comment on another poster's mention of a beard. Clark management was very prickley about grooming when I was there. There was evan an official day when we could finally roll up sleeves and omit the black necktie. No short sleeves allowed and an unspoken understanding no female employees.<br /><br />My lease margin was 5.5 cents on 1971-72 era gas prices hovering between 27.9 and 36.9 cents per gallon. A barrel of crude (44 gallons) was $11 so Clark's raw material cost of 25 cents left little for them. Clark provided me a minimum draw of $600 monthly because their first <br />3 dealers for the site sold just 18000 gallons per month ($990 monthly).<br />So just $390 for employees to cover a 24 X 7 hour business meant I would be working 7 days per week for both years I was a leasee.<br /><br />Using what Ralph taught me about customer service, we grew the site to 28000 gallon monthly sales. I left only because Clark shifted the electric bill to my side of the ledger. I understood their wish to make up for the earlier station operator failures but realized I wasn't really an independent businessman after all.<br /><br />I'd love to hear from other Clark Oil alumni readers of your great story any comment on Nixon's 15AUG1971 Executive Order 11615. That "surprise announcement" on TV is the easy part for folks of a certain age to remember. We were at 27.9/gal "gas war" price that day and it was a delight to think we'd stay at that price for the next SIX MONTHS.<br />But I was wrong.<br /><br />I had forgotten that less than one month before August 15th, Clark had us set the pumps to 44.9/gallon just for two days. It was so strange an event (recorded history max price was 37.9) that Lloyd and John Beebe promised to find out why "corporate" had dictated a price that doomed us with customers. My daily sales went from 900 daily gallons to 90 gallons. $5 profit per day would not support my 24 X 7 payroll.<br /><br />Turns out E.O 11615 had a loophole.<br /><br />Nixon's "price control" (which was a success) had a thirty-day window in how it was worded, so Clark Oil was 10 cents inside the new law when a couple weeks later told to set the pumps to 34.9. I was actually reported to the I.R.S by an irate customer who, like me, thought the nation's price freeze law applied to everyone and I couldn't go above 27.9<br /><br />I didn't go to prison because powerful people do look out for each other but my momentary role encourged a weather eye for anomaly that serves me still today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-50422182139897761932023-09-05T09:35:55.214-05:002023-09-05T09:35:55.214-05:00Thanks for the comment! As I mentioned in the post...Thanks for the comment! As I mentioned in the post, I have no regrets about my past experience with Clark Oil. With the exception of one executive (who was truly an a-hole), I made a decent living for over 10 years, developed life-long friends and gain valuable business experience which benefited me greatly in my career. No regrets, there were some very good years in the 1970's. Clark did have a good program for it's dealers and I was proud to be one of them. They did overstep their authority however and paid the price for it.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13030368303892949012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-80324752354141608442023-08-27T20:53:08.177-05:002023-08-27T20:53:08.177-05:00Great story and I appreciate all the effort you pu...Great story and I appreciate all the effort you put into it! It's a shame because Clark had a really good thing going in the 70's, but I suspect Clark was aware of the consolidation and monopolization that was to come to the oil industry in the 80's and beyond. Nevertheless, your story was great reading, and it made me long for the past.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-40260907128211380602021-06-04T14:57:26.709-05:002021-06-04T14:57:26.709-05:00Thanks for the comment, cousin Steve, LOL. I had a...Thanks for the comment, cousin Steve, LOL. I had an idea it might be you but wasn't certain!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13030368303892949012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-22442805573875833162021-06-04T14:27:22.861-05:002021-06-04T14:27:22.861-05:00Danny,
I commented "anonymously" above t...Danny,<br />I commented "anonymously" above to see if you or Russ could figure out who I was. I got my experience working at Clark from helping you and Russ on your shifts! Lots of late night shenanigans on Hopkins especially since I grew up in the area and my high school Custer was right down the road. It was an awesome time and at times it "was" our social circle and hang. I can still see and hear that Red 63 SS Impala with the glass packs on board! Sounded awesome @ 2am (3rd shift).<br />I can't remember the name of the guy who owned the Clark on 60th and Fon Du Lac.. I want to say Bob or Bruce. I can see his face..black shiney thin hair combed back and black trimmed short beard. I had a blast at Clark and I too made life long friends in doing so.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02103345998629073609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-59081906836553394142015-05-09T17:15:40.060-05:002015-05-09T17:15:40.060-05:00Did you work for Ken Lord on 26th & Silver Spr...Did you work for Ken Lord on 26th & Silver Spring? He was a dealer at that station in the early to mid 70's.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13030368303892949012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-53020277407595174162014-01-30T03:03:39.817-06:002014-01-30T03:03:39.817-06:00I too worked for Clark in the early 70's but a...I too worked for Clark in the early 70's but at 2 locations splitting shifts between them. 26th & Silver Spring and the one on 60th & Fon duLac. Kitty Corner from Capitol Court. I know the station on Santa Monica as it was next door to my dads favorite pizza joint..Giuseppe's!<br /><br />Fags may have been 32 cents a pack but gas was 26 cents!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685058230551016214.post-21721875240065149102013-12-14T22:42:52.130-06:002013-12-14T22:42:52.130-06:00I would like to add that Chuck Oleson (Olson?) als...I would like to add that Chuck Oleson (Olson?) also hired me, a younger brother to Dan, about 1971. It was a learning experience in the retail and hard work industry. The summer of '71' I worked night shift full time, as well as another day job full time at Grant's Department store, as well as a part-time job at the American Dry Cleaners in Butler. Over 90 hours per week people! At the age of 17. Perhaps parents should encourage their kids they have more energy than they think. Anyway, thank you Chuck Olson, and my brother, for getting me that job. Cigarettes 32 cents a pack?Russ Bridgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14998343678751763727noreply@blogger.com