GREENVILLE, S.C. – Forty-five years ago, Stewart Spinks took over a declining gas station and built it into a healthy chain, the Upstate Business Journal reports. His formula for success? Hard work. Wise decisions. Perseverance.

“Why was I able to thrive in the marketplace? Because I was willing to adapt to what the customer was telling me,” said Spinks, founder and chairman of Spinx Co., in the profile piece.

“Buying gas is a necessity for having mobility. … If you want something, we’re going to do our best to give it to you.”

Spinks built the company by utilizing technology. For example, he had the first self-service gas station in the city, and early on installed ATMs on each fuel island to service multiple pumps. He tried to retire in the late 1980s, but couldn’t stay away from the business, re-entering the convenience store industry in 1991.

A year later, he embraced pay-at-the-pump technology, offering customers an option to accept cash payments at the pump. “Why would I discriminate against a cash customer?” he said. “We were one of the only companies in South Carolina to do that.”

He also was at the forefront of convenience stores entering into food, drink and other items by hiring employees who knew how to capitalize on those emerging trends. One such employee was his son, Steve Spinks. That partnership has grown Spinx to 81 locations throughout South Carolina, with three affiliate companies (Ace Energy, Enigma Corp. and Spinx Transportation Co.). Steve Spinks now helms the company as CEO.

“We always try to go the extra mile for our employees,” Steve Spinks said. “But one of the things that has truly set us apart from our competitors is Dad’s commitment to his customers.”