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Kerry Hefner passes the keys to Coleridge business to the Erwin family
COLERIDGE —When Kerry Hefner decided he wanted to slow down, and eventually retire, he knew Todd Erwin was the perfect fit to take over for him at Hefner Oil.
Hefner didn’t just want to ease his 50-plus hour a week workload, he wanted to make sure the 78-year-old Coleridge family business would be in good hands.
Erwin totally understood the importance of a strong family-owned community business.
He grew up in a small town business — Laurel Feed and Grain — owned and operated since 1984 by his parents, Rich and Ellen Erwin. He worked with his folks for quite some time before eventually taking over. He also helped start Erwin Trucking sometime after he graduated from Laurel-Concord High School in 1990.
'People know my family. People know the Erwin family, they know we're good people — both families are really well-grounded that know how to give people service,' Hefner said.
To the residents of Coleridge, Hefner Oil and Feed has been much more than just a local business — it's a local institution.
Throughout its 78-year history, the store's owners have always prided themselves in being an important part of the community, Hefner said.
Whenever a local group is in need of assistance, Hefner Oil and Feed has always stepped up, he said.
'It was instilled in me at an early age by my dad and my uncle that you get involved in the community, so that's what you do and Todd's carried that on very well already,' Hefner said.
Erwin said Hefner Oil is a great example of how a small town business can help make a small town a success.
'It's a neat area, neat town, Laurel and Coleridge — both neat small towns. A small town, this is where I want to be, and Ty, my middle son, he helps with the books. He wants the same thing,' said Erwin. 'He wants to be in a small town setting and live in these areas.'
Erwin took over April 1 and it's been a smooth transition, he said.
'Nothing really changed. All the help stayed. We were just able to supply a little more young, local help through people that were already helping at Laurel Feed and Grain and Erwin Trucking.
Erwin said, even though the Erwin family is now running the operation, there are no plans to change the name of the business.
'It's had this name for a long time — and the Hefner family, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. It's a milestone in the area, it needs to stay that way.'
Hefner said he and the rest of his family was tickled to learn that Erwin wanted to keep the Hefner Oil name.
'We really appreciate that. We really do. For then to keep our name on the business is awesome,' Hefner said.
Terry Burbach, who has been with Hefner Oil and Feed since 1981, has taken on more of a managerial role.
'He's in the office more doing the day-to-day stuff,' Erwin said.
Having all three businesses under the same ownership will allow Hefner Oil and Feed to provide even more services, Erwin said.
'This just fits really well. They (the businesses) work really well together,' Erwin said. 'All of them kind of service the same customer base and the area.'
He has brought a few new things into the Coleridge business. They've added the sale of Purina feed and LG seed. They are also adding a new tire machine, so they can spin balance truck tires.
'It's just more services for our customers,' Erwin said. Hefner likes to hear that. He said the customers have always been very important to him.
'If this opportunity hadn't have come up, I'd still be running the place. Coleridge needs this. You can't leave your customers hanging. There are a lot of people that depend on you for a tire repair or a jump start.
Hefner still works part-time as needed for awhile, yet. His new schedule allows he and his wife, Janice, plenty of time to travel to see as many national parks as they can with the lifetime national parks pass their kids recently bought them.
To celebrate the ownership transition and to show their appreciation for their customers, Hefner Oil will hold a an Open House and Customer Appreciation event Friday, from 5-8 p.m.
