General Info:
In 1960, being in the plumbing & heating contracting business, John W. Keffer decided that the fuel oil business would be a natural fit. A neighbor, Merlin Miller, put up some money along with John Keffer and the Miller & Keffer Oil Company was born. Supply arrangements were made with Phillips Petroleum. In 1965, John Keffer purchased a gas station & small store at Mt Pleasant Rd. & Centerville Turnpike in Chesapeake Virginia. This was the first service station served by Miller & Keffer. The look of this station has changed over the years, but it remains one of Crossroads best gasoline accounts. In 1967, Keffer bought Millers half of the partnership & with Keffer as the sole owner the name was changed to Crossroads Fuel Service (named for the intersection of Mt. Pleasant Rd. & Centerville Turnpike). The company continued to grow slowly with Keffer continuing to work full time at the Ford plant & operating the oil company on the side with part time help including his son Alan. In 1971 the business was incorporated as Crossroads Fuel Service Inc Keffer left the Ford Plant in 1972 to devote full time to the business. The business was expanded to Elizabeth City N.C. in 1973 with the purchase of a small Phillips 66 jobbership & a Citgo jobbership which nearly doubled the overall size of Crossroads. The oil shortage of the early 70's presented challenges unseen before in the oil industry. With hard work & a good relationship with Phillips & Citgo business increased another 25% at a time when many small oil jobbers were going out of business. In 1981 Reid Fuel Oil Service was purchased in Suffolk Va. adding the third branch office to the business. Other jobberships were purchased by Crossroads adding the Gulf Oil, Amoco, Unocal 76 brands. The Citgo brand was dropped, Gulf became BP, and Phillips pulled out of Virginia & northeastern N.C. during the 80's. Crossroads continued to grow at a steady rate. In 1992 Crossroads expanded into the propane business, beginning much the same as they had in the oil business. With a used delivery truck, a few customers, a dream & firm determination. Over the next several years the propane operations were expanded to each of the four locations, which now included Sunbury N.C., which was added in 1991 with the addition of Byrum Oil Company. A Real Family Business All 10 of John Keffers children have worked in the business at one time or another. Some for very short periods & others for longer periods. Two have made Crossroads their career with Lynn the 8th child (4th boy) serving as president, and Marilyn the 5th child (2nd girl) serving as secretary & treasurer. John Keffer passed away in 1996 leaving a legacy of hard work & generosity. Under Lynn & Marilyn Keffer's leadership, Crossroads has continued to expand. Crossroads Fuel sells & delivers more then 27, 000, 000 gallons of petroleum products with its fleet of 70 delivery trucks. From the humble beginnings of two part time partners, to an employee force of 70, Crossroads Fuel Service Inc continues to provide old fashioned customer service & quality products.