HINCKLEY, Minn. — Chris Hickle came back down to earth to discover a new high-altitude career path awaiting him. The former commercial pilot realized that opportunity years ago with convenience and restaurant operation.
Hickle and his sister Pam Zabrock—along with their mother, Sue—have worked to make Tobies Station and Tobies Restaurant a formidable one-two juggernaut for travelers and local residents alike. Located in Hinckley, Minn., population 1,800, off of Interstate 35 halfway between the Twin Cities and Duluth, Tobies Station and its sister restaurant have been noted as a “traveler’s tradition” since 1947.
Once more familiar with aviation fuel than unleaded and diesel sold at retail, Hickle attended the University of North Dakota to become a pilot and proceeded to earn his pilot’s license. “I worked for 2 ½ years flying twin-engine commercial turbo prop planes for a charter company,” said Hickle, who traveled often from the Twin Cities to New Orleans, Boston-Logan, Chicago-Midway and other regional airports.
After leaving commercial aviation in the early 1990s when a recession affected corporate travel frequency, Hickle, who worked at the family-run Tobies as a teenager, returned to the business permanently.
Tobies Station is home to a legendary caramel and cinnamon roll. People have been known to come from near, far and wide to indulge in the item that’s sold for $3.75 per unit.
Read forward to learn more about Hickle’s full-circle journey from retail to commercial piloting and back to the retail sector again.
Q: Every retailer has a different narrative to tell about life during COVID-19—what was yours?
A: I refer to it as a lot of mental gymnastics that had to be dealt with. At the end of the day, we always found a way to stay afloat and retain all employees (120 on the restaurant side, about 35 at the c-store). We were blessed to not have any positive COVID cases, and people stayed on board through it all.
Q: What have you been doing to add power to your forecourt and fueling offer?
A: On the branded side, we converted a while ago from Marathon to MINNOCO, (a Minnesota brand fully known as Minnesota Independent Oil Co.). Its gasoline is developed for the members of the MSSA (Minnesota Service Station & Convenience Store Association) by members of MSSA. It allows members to own and control their own brand of fuel while offering renewable fuels grown and refined in the Midwest, such as biodiesel, E85, E30, E15 and 87, 89 and 91 octane fuels.
But, we have brought Unleaded 88 (Unleaded 87 has 10% ethanol and Unleaded 88 15%, which increases the octane rating to 88). The decision was all done as part of an MSSA program called “Prime The Pump” in conjunction with Growth Energy, [which represents producers and supporters of ethanol]. My sister and I feel that E88 gives us a competitive advantage with nearby chains such as Holiday, Kwik Trip and Minute Mart that sell Unleaded 87.
Q: What initiatives have you embarked upon inside Tobies Store?
A: We reimaged the c-store completely inside and out about five years ago. We remodeled our store because we know how important it is to have a clean and new updated look. Customers don’t want to go to old, rundown c-stores. On the branded side, we became a Caribou Coffee franchise (footprint 200 square feet) a while back and have watched it flourish. The brand’s motif and vibe really fit us well—plus it’s a premium coffeehouse featuring high-quality, handcrafted beverages and food. We serve expertly roasted coffee blends and espressos and handcrafted beverages such as mochas and lattes.
We also receive ongoing counsel from our Farner-Bocken (Carroll, Iowa) wholesale distributor on making sure our category mixes always stay relevant, reflecting seasonal and permanent efforts across price, promotion and display.
Q: How would you describe the clientele at your store—from locals and vacationers to other type of folks passing through the region?
A: Mainly we appeal to those traveling up and down I-35. Everyone who travels this corridor knows who we are. Most of our customers come from other states, but also from Minneapolis, Duluth and the Iron Range to vacation at the many lakes. Locally, we bring in business to both stores from the Hinckley Grand Casino. And the fact that there’s no big-box chains close by means we have an acute competitive advantage.
Q: Talk a bit about your iconic bakery business. What are some of the specifics that make it thrive?
A: For starters, we sell oodles of baked goods. Our folks come in at 2 a.m. and start baking, as everything is baked fresh daily. On a busy day, we sell 130 pans of rolls, which computes to 3,900 units a day. In addition, we sell glazed doughnuts, long Johns and apple fritters—all displayed from attractive bakery cases.
Q: Have you been able to establish a synergy between the restaurant and c-store?
A: Yes, people will eat lunch at the restaurant, which is connected to the store, and head to the c-store for fuel and to-go snacks and drinks. On Easter Sunday, we generated 950 restaurant checks, and the day before about 1,000. On a busy day we’ll generate a range of 1,500 to 2,000 checks. The restaurant is noted for prime rib: We used to schedule prime rib buffets prior to the pandemic but those days are over. As you can imagine, we also offer walleye sandwiches and entrees.
Q: Have you experienced product supply chain/distribution issues during the post-COVID-19 era?
A: It’s been a rotating string of items or categories that have been hard to achieve fulfillment for—all at different times—from bakery bags, cups, lids and more.
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