BELLE FOURCHE—In a world of pay-at-the-pump and self-serve everything, there is a small, family owned gas station on State Street in downtown Belle that’s bringing back something you don’t see much anymore—old fashioned, full service with a personal touch. This local spot is a reminder that good service and friendly faces never go out of style.
At SML Southside Conoco, when you pull up to the gas pump, Mary Cronk will come out and begin pumping your gas for you! If it is cold outside, you do not have to get out of your car, she is bundled up and takes care of everything! “When it’s not so horribly cold, we wash the windows and have had people that we check their oil or fill up their coolant or different things like that as well,” explained Cronk. “And eventually, hopefully, we’ll get a mechanic in here!”
Cronk will even come out to your car and take your order! “I’ll go in and get the items, I’ll ring it up and bring it all back out to their car,” she shared.
The small storefront packs in a large variety of products. The store specializes in vintage, odd candies. Items you can’t find in just any store. “We have some crazy, odd, vintage candy, you name it, it’s in there somewhere,” explained Cronk. “I do two or three of just about everything under the sun—I got gummy pizza in a pizza box, SpongeBob Krabby Patties and Wacky Wafers. Whatever you can imagine, if it’s still being made, it’s probably here somewhere!”
The station also has a large variety of drinks, special gift bags for dogs and cats and handmade quilts. “I don’t want to be like a normal gas station, I want it to be different,” said Cronk.
John and Mary Cronk have owned the SML Southside Conoco for the past three years. The gas station was a nice fit with their other business, SML Tires, Point S Tire and Auto Service. Family is important to the couple, so much so that their businesses are named after their three oldest grandkids, Samson, Mary and Leland—though they have four grandkids now, the last one was a surprise!
For the past five years, the Cronks have been running Point S and offer specials. “We do senior discounts, first responder discounts and veteran military discounts on everything across the board—it doesn’t matter, alignments, full mechanic and tires—we do it all,” Cronk said.
The Cronks take pride in their full service station, something one doesn’t see much of anymore. But there is something even more important to them. “God first, we’re all about God first, business second. If you do things honestly, it’ll all fall into place. If you don’t, you don’t deserve to expand,” she said.
They embrace old school values—old school candy, old school full service and old school kindness. “We try to do stuff for the community, we try to do things old school—it shouldn’t always be about money, it should be done because it’s right,” shared Cronk.
Some of the things they have done include offering free hot cocoa during the Parade of Lights and offering their bathrooms to the community during that time as well as letting the radio stations park and plug in to broadcast the Parade.
Their veteran-owned store is currently undergoing renovations. The space inside will soon double in size when it’s finished allowing them to offer even more products to their customers.
Be sure to stop by and check out all this sweet little place has to offer! You will be surprised all that is packed into the small space!
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