Peiffer Oil & Propane

Krist Oil Company was born during the beginning years of World War I in 1917, when Krist Atanasoff decided to purchase a candy store in the small town of Caspian, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He had come to the United States in the year 1909 from southeastern Europe. Like many of our ancestors, he had come to America in search of a better opportunity and in 1917, that’s just what he found!

The Krist Oil Co. Independently owns and operates 75 convenience stores across 3 states as one of the largest gasoline and diesel distributors in Upper Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. Along with a friendly staff and competitive gas/diesel prices, our convenience stores also provide pay at the pump, ATM, lottery, propane cylinder exchange, and free automotive air.

Since 1917 

He purchased the candy store and operated it for a few years, serving the families of the many miners who flocked to the area in efforts to satisfy America’s demand for steel. Then, in 1933, prohibition ended and over the next few years he purchased a tavern that had come up for sale across the street from the candy store. With his ambition and hard work ethic he ran both locations successfully. With the onset of automobiles, he added gasoline pumps on front of the tavern offering full service fill-ups to his many customers. With his progressive nature and good personality, his business grew and soon he was able to start a small oil company called Stambaugh Oil Company. He then operated his businesses and provided for his young family until 1950 when he formed a partnership with his son Stanley, who had been helping him since he had become of age.

Stambaugh Oil Co. 

He and his son worked together for nearly six years when Krist unexpectedly passed away in 1956. Stanley then purchased the remainder of the company from his family and changed the name from Stambaugh Oil Company to Krist Oil Company in remembrance of his father. Thus, the legacy began! Nearly a half a century and three generations later, Krist Oil Company is proudly still here to serve you and still growing. We now own and operate 70 convenience stores across the Upper Peninsula, Northern Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Many of these stores Stanley and his son have built with their own hands, and keep numerous houses warm during our cold winter months with LP (Liquid Petroleum) gas and home heating oil. The candy store and tavern may be gone, but the values of those small town businesses still remain.