Roseland Finance helps gas stations and convenience stores in Mansfield, OH request inventory financing for fuel and store stock, equipment financing for coolers and dispensers, and term loans to buy a station. Partners review sales, fuel volume records and the purchase details, then decide. Richland County, OH had 39 gasoline stations with employees in 2023, employing about 527 people.
| Richland County, OH: gasoline stations | 39 employer establishments, per CBP 2023 |
|---|---|
| Employees | About 527, per CBP 2023 |
| Under five employees | 7.7%, per CBP 2023 |
| Convenience stores | 18 employer establishments, per CBP 2023 |
| Fits | Inventory financing, term loans, equipment financing |
| Not arranged | Real estate purchase mortgages |
Where cash sits at a fuel station
A gas station with a store runs two businesses at once. Fuel moves in large loads paid for on the supplier's terms; the store sells beverages, snacks, tobacco and lottery in many small purchases. Coolers, dispensers, point-of-sale systems and, at larger sites, a food counter or car wash add equipment to the mix.
Much of the money sits in stock and equipment. That makes the timing of fuel payments and store orders the main working capital question.
Gas station business loans by need
| Need | Fit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Store stock and fuel loads | Inventory financing or line of credit | Repaid as stock and fuel sell |
| Coolers, dispensers, POS | Equipment financing | Quote with installation |
| Buying an existing station | Term loan | Business assets; the real estate is separate |
| Adding a car wash or food counter | Term loan plus equipment | Budget the build-out and equipment separately |
Gas station loan requirements partners review
- Fuel volume and store sales records, often from the point-of-sale system
- Fuel supplier agreements and payment terms
- Business bank statements
- For a purchase: the seller's records, the purchase agreement and the lease or property arrangement
- Loans, advances and liens already in place
How to get funding for a gas station depends heavily on the records. Partners need to see fuel volume and store sales separately, because they are different lines of business.
Small business loans for a gas station purchase near Mansfield, OH
A station purchase can include the business, its equipment and stock, and either buying or leasing the property. Roseland does not arrange real estate purchase mortgages, so a purchase that includes the land and building needs a commercial mortgage lender for that part. A commercial loan for a gas station's business assets, stock and equipment can be a term loan.
Partners review the seller's fuel and store sales, supplier agreements and equipment condition. Environmental and fuel-system matters can be part of a station purchase; get professional advice on them before signing.
Convenience store business loan requests
A convenience store without fuel is a small-format retailer with stock, coolers and a point-of-sale system. Inventory financing or a line of credit carries the stock; equipment financing carries the coolers. The retail page and the grocery store page cover related cases.
Richland County, OH fuel stations in the 2023 counts
Richland County, OH had 39 gasoline stations with employees in 2023, employing about 527 people with an annual payroll of about $10.5 million (County Business Patterns). Only 7.7% had fewer than five employees, so most stations had five or more employees. By our arithmetic, stations averaged about 13.5 employees each.
The county also had 18 convenience stores without fuel that had employees, 83.3% of them with fewer than five employees. Nonemployer Statistics counted 4 gas stations and 5 convenience stores without payroll in 2024, separate counts from a separate program.
Questions to ask before buying a station
- How much of the revenue is fuel, and how much is the store?
- What does the fuel supply agreement require, and can it be assigned?
- What is the age and condition of the tanks, dispensers and coolers?
- Is the property bought or leased, and on what terms?
Partners will ask the same questions; having the answers on paper helps the partner read the request.
An illustrative store stock example
A hypothetical Mansfield, OH station plans a $12,000 beverage and snack stock-up and replaces two cooler doors at $3,500. By hand: the stock fits a line draw repaid over the following weeks of sales; the doors are small enough that cash or the same line may make more sense than a separate equipment request. Figures are illustrative.
For acquisitions in general, see buying an existing business in Richland County, OH and the Mansfield, OH city page.
By Roseland Finance · Updated
