Polk Pick-it-Up

Polk Oil Company Purchases Doc’s Convenience Stores in Crockett, TX.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:47:07 GMT

Lufkin, Texas - Today Polk Oil Company announced the purchase of two convenience stores in the Houston County area. Polk Oil Company has purchased both Doc's convenience store
locations in Crockett. The Doc's store locations are on Hwy 287 and Hwy 19 North, and on Hwy 7 and Loop 304 East. The full-service convenience stores offer grocery items, soft drinks and gasoline.

With the addition of the Crockett locations, Polk now operates 30 Convenience stores throughout East Texas.

"We have known the Polk family and Carl Ray Polk for years and have found them to be people of great integrity. Carl Ray Polk does what he says he is going to do that's a rare quality today. Polk Oil will be a great addition to the Crockett area. Polk Oil's operation of the convenience stores will enhance our commitment to expand our Barbeque and Smoked Meat business," said Doc's Founder Jack Patton.

"Jack Patton and his family have been great customers of Polk Oil for several years now. Our trusted relationship began when Jack chose Polk Oil to provide quality Exxon gasoline for his two stores. The trust we have built has afforded us the opportunity to grow our convenience store operations in Crockett with the purchase of Jack's two stores.

Jack has built a strong and very loyal customer base in Crockett; we are thrilled with the chance to continue his great customer service and c-store offerings. We look forward to being a strong and sustainable business partner in Houston County for many years to come," said Polk Oil President Carl Ray Polk, Jr.

Polk Oil plans to operate the facilities in much the same way that Jack Patton has operated
them over the last seven years with the exception of expanded operating hours for greater
customer convenience.

In addition to the Crockett stores, Polk Oil Company has 28 convenience stores, 4 Subway
franchises, 3 Hunts Brothers pizza franchises and 6 locations with Pizza Pro. In addition to
grocery items and gasoline, Polk Pick-It-Up stores offer services such as ATMs, lottery tickets, money orders and pre-paid calling cards.

Jack Patton plans to expand the Doc's Barbeque and Smoked Meat operations in Crockett and maintain his barbeque operation and convenience store in Grapeland,Texas.

From its humble beginnings in 1937, as a family-owned garage in Wells, Texas, Polk Oil
Company now operates 30 service stations and convenience stores throughout East Texas.
Polk Pick-It-Up and its employee-owners take pride in their service, quality and commitment to the communities they serve. Polk Oil Company, with its partners ExxonMobil and
Chevron/Texaco, provide only the highest quality gasoline for our customers.

Polk Oil Company Purchases Doc’s Convenience Stores in Crockett

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:48:05 GMT

With the addition of the Crockett locations, Polk now operates 30 Convenience stores throughout East Texas.

Jack Patton plans to expand the Doc's Barbeque and Smoked Meat operations in Crockett and maintain his barbeque operation and convenience store in Grapeland,Texas.

Lufkin Students, Diabetes Pilot Project

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:46:44 GMT

LUFKIN, TEXAS (March 20, 2008)…Does a community based lifestyle education program improve health care status in a group of children at increased risk for diabetes?
That is the question the Children's Lifestyle Intervention Program (CLIP) attempts to answer.

The CLIP study kicked off today at the Lufkin Middle School with all 6th graders participating in a presentation by local medical experts and governmental leaders. State Representative Jim McReynolds, Dr. Jeffrey Glass, Dr. Lance Sloan, and Tim Scallon, Director of Clinical Nutrition at Memorial Health System of East Texas presented information to the students on how physical activity and sound nutrition can lead to a healthy lifestyle. All 6th graders were given arm bands with the words "Power of Choice" imprinted on them as a reminder that they have the power to choose a healthy lifestyle.

The CLIP Study is a pilot study led by Memorial Health System of East Texas on prevention and treatment of diabetes. This study is Memorial's response to House Bill 3735, carried by Representative Jim McReynolds, which passed in 2007. Lufkin Middle School 6th graders form the study group and Livingston Middle School 6th graders make up the control group for the study. Both groups were screened for potential risk of developing diabetes. The Lufkin study group will have a 9 week lifestyle education program inserted into their regular curriculum. This includes providing pedometers (donated by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) to all Lufkin students. The control group, Livingston Middle School 6th graders, will not receive the education segment. At the end of the 9 week program, those at highest risk will be screened again to evaluate the impact of the lifestyle education program.

Those involved in the study include Dr. Lance Sloan, Dr. Jeffrey Glass, and Dr. Ghazala Khan. These physicians guided the development of the study. Tim Scallon, Director of Clinical Nutrition; Ethel Ballenger, Coordinator for Horace C. Polk Jr. Regional Diabetes Center; and Deborah Brantley, Educator for Horace C. Polk Jr. Regional Diabetes Center are coordinating the efforts of the Polk Diabetes Center, Lufkin Middle School and the medical team.

Full Service at Self Service Prices!

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:22:36 GMT

Fill 'er up! A phrase from a by-gone day or is it? Motorists can still get full service at Polk Oil Company's South First Street location. It's a perk that the company feels ties it to its beginnings - as a garage in the small Cherokee County community of Wells. Customer service was the foundation of HC and Hazel Polk's garage when they opened it back in February 1937. As their business and family grew, they moved to Angelina County and opened their second garage and service station at 1422 South First Street. That was in 1949 and it's been full service ever since! Carl Ray Polk, Jr. says, "My grandfather, my father and I all worked there. Customers could get any kind of work done that they needed - replace a fan belt, change out the battery, rotate the tires. In 1974, we strictly went to fuel sales."

Though the fuel brands have changed through the years, from Premier to Skelly and from Mobil to Exxon, the service hasn't. Customers drive in, fill up, have their fluids checked, their windshield cleaned and their tires aired up without ever getting out of their vehicle. Polk quips, "I started washing cars and windshields at seven years old and worked every summer until I was 14. I learned what I know about customer service selling gasoline. That was a huge learning experience." Polk is now the president of Polk Oil Company.

In a day where the "do it yourself pay at the pump method" is the norm, Polk Oil Company still prefers to do it for you -at least at one of its 29 locations! Leon Moore has worked at the station off and on for more than 35 years. His brother Joe manages the station. Leon says, "One lady told me she'd traded here for so long she felt like she owned the place."

This gem does more than provide full service at self-service prices! Loggers pull up to the side to buy off road diesel to power their equipment. People stop in to buy kerosene for their lamps and heaters or five gallon buckets of oil. Most come for the service and the reassurance that someone knowledgeable is checking under the hood and eyeballing their tire pressure.
A recent customer reports, "It reminds me of the old days when everything was full service. I appreciate the human touch. That's something you don't see much of. There's nothing like filling up your car on a cold, wet day and staying dry and warm while the fellows at Polk do the work!"

Leon Moore says they get a real mix of customers. Though the clientele skews a bit older, folks of all ages are among his regulars. Moore considers every customer his friend!

The South First Street Station is open Monday through Friday from six in the morning until nine at night. On Saturday they close at 8 in the evening. You'll have to pump your own on Sundays and holidays because they're closed! Stop in on a cold, rainy day and let them spoil you. You'll never want to pump your own gas again!