Southwest Georgia Oil Company Revenue and Competitors

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA OIL COMPANY, INC. was founded in November, 1959 by Jimmy W. Harrell in Bainbridge, Georgia. Jimmy, a graduate of Florida State University with a degree in physical education, had tried teaching physical education in a juvenile detention center as well as farming - each for a year. He decided to venture into the petroleum business by selling diesel fuel to farmers from an old tank wagon truck that he bought for $1,000.00 with the help of a personal loan. His wholesale business grew and soon he decided to sell retail gasoline from a small station located on Highway 27 North in Bainbridge. The first retail banner that Jimmy Harrell flew was that of Colonial Oil. Soon, he added stations on Calhoun Street and Scott Street in Bainbridge. With additional growth in volume he began purchasing gasoline from Murphy Oil Company and Marathon Oil Company in addition to Colonial Oil Company. In 1968, it became apparent to Jimmy Harrell that he would need to give his oil company a new, independent name. With the help of a close friend and a Marathon Oil Company representative, Wynn Kallay, he decided to name his company SOUTHWEST GEORGIA OIL COMPANY, INC. and operate under the trade name of INLAND. Jimmy's goal was to be the biggest oil company in Bainbridge, Georgia. Moving quickly toward that goal, he added stations in Tallahassee, Quincy, Douglas, Enterprise, Troy and Columbus, as well as Bainbridge. Jimmy's initial venture into the convenience store business came in 1973, when he opened his first store in Tallahassee. He then expanded into Albany and Dawson, Georgia; Havana, Crawfordville, and Medart, Florida; and Mississippi . In 1983, the company headquarters was moved to its present location at 1711 East Shotwell Street in Bainbridge, Georgia. His sons, Mike and Mark, also graduates of Florida State University, joined the company in 1984 and 1986 respectively. They shortly began image upgrades, a modernization project, and computerizing store and office operations. In 1986 the company updated its INLAND logo and added a new and exciting graphics package to all its locations. In 1987, using its own contracting company, SOUTHWEST GEORGIA OIL COMPANY, INC. leveled several existing stations and rebuilt new convenience stores in new markets with the same modern design and graphics package. With this new growth came a new progressive image and renewed progressive thinking.