The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
A group of friends and regulars at the Gibb Sinclair Station and Convenient Store in Biggsville returned at the final hour to thank and honor Steve Gibb and his unwavering service and friendship as he faces the end of a long era for for the Gibb family as owners. After years working for his dad Jack and then for himself, June 30th, Steve turned over the keys to new owners “Sam” Rishi and “Kenny” Mahan after fifty-nine years of service to the community of Biggsville.
The two new owners came from South India to the United States to get a college education and to work and make a better life here in America. Both Sam Rishi and Kenny Mahan are friends who have received their Computer Science degrees from Saint Louis University where “Sam’s” brother Ali is a professor in the Chemistry department and working toward his doctorate.
His brother Ali has purchased two BP stations in St, Louis which are now “Phillips 66 Jennings Station Road.” This purchase in Biggsville gives Ali a partnership with his brother Sam and an opportunity in business for Sam’s friend Kenny.
Sam plans on keeping the same Gibb Sinclair Station and Convenient Store name, if the government will allow it, he said. “It’s a good hame here! People are familiar with it!”.
He also plans on keeping the same items for sale that Steve had in the store, plus add a small kitchen and some hot food like wings, and pizza, etc.. and he is extending their hours until 8 p.m. (and maybe longer.) Some new flooring and freshening up is in the plans as well, Sam said.
The two men have enjoyed the friendliness of the community and customers so far and especially the great help Steve is giving them each day..
Kenny and Sam are both friendly individuals and eager to add some hot food to their business and to meet the people. The men are both young and single and enjoy music, and Kenny enjoys playing Cricket where Sam enjoys India’s National sport of Kabaddi. The men are apartment hunting and hope to find a place soon to ease their job of working 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. seven days a week.
It will take a lot of dedication and work to fill the shoes of the “Gibber” who has worked 324 days a year beginning work part time in his youth for his dad Jack 59 years ago in 1966.
Steve Gibb grew up in Biggsville, a lifelong resident and graduated from Union High School in 1972.
His parents were Jack and Ishmael Gibb, parents of eight kids: two girls Janet the oldest (wife of Dr. Lindo) and Karen, and six boys- Gary, Larry, “Jackie” Michael, Paul, Danny, and the youngest Steve. Steve is the only one surviving.
Steve said the back-breaking work at the station of fixing tires which his dad and he did regularly was definitely the hardest job at the station. They changed oil and sold tires, etc.. “We had a car wash, but I never got involved in that,” he said. “My dad bought the station in 1966 and I worked part time from then until 1974 when I began running it full time for dad which now has been 51 years full time.”
In April 1987 the station suffered a fire and the next month, Steve bought the station from his dad May 1987 and has continued running it 24/7 354 days a year for 38 more years, 59 years altogether at the station.
“I began selling alcohol in 1993 and when the grocery store closed in town in 1994, I closed the tire and oil changes business and used the space for a convenient store for the community.”
“Biggsville is a small community and it is hard for a small business to survive but the community has really supported Gibbs and I try to give back in support to them when I can,” Steve said.
As we visited, every person who came into the station, Steve knew and he would stop to say hello to them, calling them by their first name.
“I’ve made a lot of friends here,” he said, and he has enjoyed their friendship.
Gibb enjoys the bunch of guys who arrive around 7 a.m. to start their day for coffee or a drink and leave around 8:30 a.m. Sandra Shauman said her husband Kevin and the others who meet there “are going to be lost without the Gibber.”
When does Steve’s day start? Around 3:30 a.m. he would get up to be at the station and have the coffee on by 6 a.m. and although he closes at 7, it is about 8:30 p.m. before he finally gets everything finished and he can go home for the evening. This is 24/7, everyday but Christmas!
He use to enjoy catching the end of a football home game at the high school, or a baseball game when all the towns played each other at home. Now more and more sporting teams are traveling afar and his evenings consist of a little television before falling asleep.
Steve had trouble sometimes finding good help, someone who you can trust and isn’t going to steal, which has kept him there constantly. After several break-ins, the door and all the windows have been barred and there is security alarms and cameras all over and he said, but there hasn’t been the problem for the last twenty years.
In retirement, Steve is helping out the new owners. Says he really doesn’t know what retirement will look like.
After 59 years at Gibb's Sinclair Station, working 364 days a year, Steve Gibb sells his service station and convenience store to new owners who came from St. Louis, MO to purchase the station.
Steve Gibb gives pointers to new owner with his first customer Charlie Green, a farmer from Rozetta who gased up his grain truck at Gibbs Sinclair on Monday.