Blarney Castle Acquires Fleming Oil’s 20 C-Stores

Both chains have served as long-time staples in their Michigan communities.

Bear Lake, Mich.-based Blarney Castle Oil & Propane has inked an agreement to acquire all 20 of Fleming Oil Co.’s convenience stores in Michigan.

The transaction, according to a statement from American Business Brokers & Advisors, which represented Fleming Oil throughout the process, is “more than the transfer of business assets—it marks the continuation of two long-standing family business traditions that have spent generations serving communities across Michigan.”

Fleming oil history

Founded in 1934, Fleming Oil Co. began as a small fuel delivery operation established by Jess Fleming in South Haven, Mich. Over the decades, the company evolved into a respected and diversified operation that included fuel distribution, convenience store locations, and Marathon and Shell branded retail outlets.

The business became woven into the fabric of the communities it served, earning the trust and loyalty of customers over nearly a century.

Under the leadership of Tom Fleming, Andrew Fleming and Cymbre Fleming Peterson, the company continued to build on the values established by previous generations — placing a strong emphasis on customer relationships, community involvement and long-term service.

Blarney castle background

The acquiring company, Blarney Castle Oil & Propane, also carries a strong family-business heritage and a deep commitment to customer service. Headquartered in Bear Lake, Mich., the company has established itself as a trusted provider of fuel, propane and retail energy-related services throughout Michigan.

Over the years, Blarney Castle has built its reputation through dependable service, local relationships and strategic growth while maintaining the values commonly associated with family ownership.

“This transaction was about much more than simply selling a business,” said Terry Monroe, president of American Business Brokers & Advisors. “It was about preserving a legacy and finding a buyer who would appreciate the history, relationships and values that the Fleming family built over generations which was found in Blarney Castle Oil & Propane.”

Previous acquisitions

Around this time last year, in late July, Blarney Castle made a similar move to grow its footprint through its acquisition of Pri-Mar Petroleum’s 13 convenience stores.

Headquartered in St. Joseph, Mich., Pri Mar operated 13 Pri Mart branded convenience stores and supplied 12 wholesale dealers throughout southwestern Michigan, selling fuels under the BP, Amoco and CITGO brands. The company also delivered commercial fuels, heating oil and lubricants to over 2,000 customers from its three bulk plant facilities.

Pri Mar was a third-generation, family-owned and operated business that was founded by Harry Priebe and his brother in 1928 as a distributor of petroleum products to farm, industrial and home heating customers. In 1972, Harry Priebe’s son-in-law, L. Richard Marzke, took over the company and merged the two surnames together to create Pri Mar Petroleum.

Pri Mar’s first convenience store opened in Stevensville, Mich., in 1976. It was one of the first convenience stores in the area, and the success of this store led to the conversion of other gasoline service stations into convenience stores. L. Richard Marzke’s son, Kurt Marzke, joined Pri Mar as the general manager in 1984 and was soon followed by his brother Craig in 1989, his brother Chris in 1997 and his brother Kevin in 2006.