End of an Era: Arndt's Mini-Mart in Milton Closes its Doors

“There’s no reason for us to stay open,” said Kathy.

The tanks were empty and except for two packs of cigarettes, a well-picked over candy selection and a few cans of diet soda, there was nothing left to sell.

Customers still popped in over the next hour or so, but after more than 50 years, the Arndt family would no longer run Milton’s last remaining mom-and-pop gas station.

News that Arndt’s was going out of business had been spreading via social media and word of mouth since August.

“They knew it was coming,” said Jeff, “although there were a few of our customers that still expressed shock.”

One customer noted that he had been coming in for 50 years.

Then, with a grin he asked, “Are you going to give me my last tank of gas for free?” Jeff said.

There was no free gas. But candy, pop and other miscellaneous items were discounted by 50%. Some customers were lucky enough to get a candy bar or can of soda for free.

In upcoming weeks, the Arndts will decide what to do with remaining fixtures and equipment such as coolers and freezers, lights, signs and the gas pumps themselves.

On Nov. 1, METCO Petroleum will remove the underground tanks. The process requires permits and following a host of government regulations. Jeff said that METCO handles all of that.

“We will probably come down and watch them while they do that,” he said.

Then, for the first time in 96 years, there will no longer be a gas station on the corner of Parkview and High.

According to the Wisconsin Historical Society website, the building was constructed in 1927 in English Revival Style.

“We’ve had a lot of people wonder what’s going to happen to the building,” said Jeff.

“The building will stay on the site,” Kathy answered.

While a sale hasn’t officially taken place, the Arndts’ son, Jason, who is a financial advisor, has expressed interest in buying it for office space.

“We feel pretty good about that,” said Jeff, “being able to pass on the building to family.”

When asked why they decided to close, Kathy was quick to say as she rang up a customer’s purchase, “I’m ready to retire!”

She asked Jeff to get a bag for the customer’s purchase and when he returned with one, she teased, “I just wanted to see if you could still do that!”

At the suggestion that that might have been their last customer, Kathy laughed. “No, a lot of them are coming back to help us clear out!”

Jeff said family ownership of the station started with his dad, Gerald, in the late 60’s. Jeff and his brother Jim later took over and for a while, the brothers owned it as partners.

Eventually, after Jeff and Kathy were married in 1978, they bought out Jim’s share and ran the business together.

“I was 20 when I started,” said Jim, “And I’m 70 now.”

Jeff took a full-time job at Milton Propane in 1984, but was still at the gas station daily, carrying out maintenance tasks and handling anything else needing attention.

Kathy then worked the station full-time, handling both the behind-the-counter work and providing full service at the pumps. After a while, full-service became mini service and then, finally, the pumps were all self-serve.

“With one person running the show,” said Jeff, “you can’t be everywhere at once.”

But having two people work wasn’t profitable. “Labor is your biggest cost.”

At one time, the Arndts considered selling. Profits are slim in a small family-run station.

Over the years, the Arndts did offer milk, bread, eggs and butter, but not all of the groceries and services available at the larger chain stations, which also tend to be closer to freeways and busier highways.

“Back in the day, this was a good location,” said Jeff.

Traffic dropped off after the closing of Milton College in 1982. It dropped off further when the bypass came through.

“That was kind of when we saw the writing on the wall,” said Jeff. With retirement on the horizon, they decided to just hang on a little longer.

The Arndts have good memories to carry with them. The first home they owned was in space now used by the Bank of Milton for parking.

“It was convenient for us to go to work,” said Jeff, “and sometimes people would walk over, knock and say, ‘hey—can you open the gas station? I’m out of gas!’”

Kathy said it’s been all about the customers.

“That’s probably the number one thing that gives us the best memories,” she said.

That was evident on Friday as the couple tended to customers before hanging the “closed”sign.

Noticing that the nozzles were covered, people popped in to say “thanks” and wish the couple a happy retirement.

A long-time customer known as “Beefy” stopped in and joked that their closing was “unacceptable,” then hung around to chat.

When the elementary school across the street let out, a stream of kids with an adult stopped in for a last chance to satisfy their sweet tooth.

One young girl grinned, hoping to find her favorite chocolate bar.

When a young boy, one of the last customers, went to the counter to purchase a candy bar, Jeff told him he could have it for free. The dad insisted his son pay for it. “OK,” said Jeff. “It’s a nickel.”

“If we knew the actual day we were running out,” said Jeff, “we would have let people know so they could come back and say goodbye.”

In the last days before closing, the “cash only” sign has gone up, a clue that soon the doors would lock forever.

View Article Here.