MONROE - The matter of the vacant BP gas station on 20th Avenue and 9th Street is being cleared up.
Bowen Oil Company Inc. of Monroe purchased the property, and Harry Bowen, company president, said he's opening it Nov. 16 as a BP convenience store again.
"It's a good opportunity, and it used to be a very good store," Bowen said.
Bowen Oil Company finalized the acquisition late last week and started cleaning and repairing the operation.
On Thursday, maintenance crews were repainting light poles and getting gas pumps back on line.
Bowen was on site overseeing the work, and telling customers that he wasn't open yet.
"They come all day long," Harry said.
The 20th Avenue BP convenience store will be open from 5 a.m. to about 9 p.m., or later.
Customers will find the business will carry the usual convenience store items, all three grades of BP gasoline, and, of course, coffee.
"The best," Harry said, without a smile.
Bowen initially will hire four employees for the new store.
"We'll get more as it gets expanding," Harry said.
Bowen calls himself a "BP jobber/dealer," meaning he gets convenience stores started and supplies them.
He owns four stores in Illinois, as well as a fueling station on West 6th Street and Bowen home and farm delivery on 10 1/2 Street on Monroe's west side.
"We're happy to be here and to get ahold of this location," Harry said.
Bowen, now living in Orangeville, was born and grew up on Green County's oldest homestead farm, begun in 1836, on the Illinois-Wisconsin state line. He's been in the fuel business for 50 years, and began farm and home delivery in 1996.
His son, Wes (Chip) Bowen, is vice president of Bowen Oil Company, Inc.
The 20th Avenue BP station sat empty for almost two years, after being plagued by management problems, unpaid vendors, a lack of gasoline, delinquent back taxes and employees quitting.
Texas Oil of Madison was listed as owners of the real estate in February 2008. Texas Oil's regional manager, Sam Samra, said at that time the store was being sold and the transaction would be completed within a few days, but that was delayed.
Suddenly closed in the spring of 2008, the property went on sale in July 2008 through Coldwell Bankers for an undisclosed amount.
The county assesses the property at almost $470,000, with $390,600 for the building and $79,300 for the land.
Before Bowen Oil Company bought the property, First Banking Center was listed as owning it.
Taxes for 2008, totaling $13,498, were paid by First Banking Center on March 25, 2009.
Property taxes for 2006 at $12,425, and for 2007 at $13,138, not including penalty or interest, were delinquent in July 2008. First Banking Center also paid those off March 25 of this year.
Neighbors became concerned last summer when the property became a convenient place for people to get rid of their unwanted junk. Residents in the area complained the property looked abandoned and unkempt. Left unmowed, the grass along the street went to seed. With the sudden closing also came abandoned store items.
Bowen Oil Company Inc. of Monroe purchased the property, and Harry Bowen, company president, said he's opening it Nov. 16 as a BP convenience store again.
"It's a good opportunity, and it used to be a very good store," Bowen said.
Bowen Oil Company finalized the acquisition late last week and started cleaning and repairing the operation.
On Thursday, maintenance crews were repainting light poles and getting gas pumps back on line.
Bowen was on site overseeing the work, and telling customers that he wasn't open yet.
"They come all day long," Harry said.
The 20th Avenue BP convenience store will be open from 5 a.m. to about 9 p.m., or later.
Customers will find the business will carry the usual convenience store items, all three grades of BP gasoline, and, of course, coffee.
"The best," Harry said, without a smile.
Bowen initially will hire four employees for the new store.
"We'll get more as it gets expanding," Harry said.
Bowen calls himself a "BP jobber/dealer," meaning he gets convenience stores started and supplies them.
He owns four stores in Illinois, as well as a fueling station on West 6th Street and Bowen home and farm delivery on 10 1/2 Street on Monroe's west side.
"We're happy to be here and to get ahold of this location," Harry said.
Bowen, now living in Orangeville, was born and grew up on Green County's oldest homestead farm, begun in 1836, on the Illinois-Wisconsin state line. He's been in the fuel business for 50 years, and began farm and home delivery in 1996.
His son, Wes (Chip) Bowen, is vice president of Bowen Oil Company, Inc.
The 20th Avenue BP station sat empty for almost two years, after being plagued by management problems, unpaid vendors, a lack of gasoline, delinquent back taxes and employees quitting.
Texas Oil of Madison was listed as owners of the real estate in February 2008. Texas Oil's regional manager, Sam Samra, said at that time the store was being sold and the transaction would be completed within a few days, but that was delayed.
Suddenly closed in the spring of 2008, the property went on sale in July 2008 through Coldwell Bankers for an undisclosed amount.
The county assesses the property at almost $470,000, with $390,600 for the building and $79,300 for the land.
Before Bowen Oil Company bought the property, First Banking Center was listed as owning it.
Taxes for 2008, totaling $13,498, were paid by First Banking Center on March 25, 2009.
Property taxes for 2006 at $12,425, and for 2007 at $13,138, not including penalty or interest, were delinquent in July 2008. First Banking Center also paid those off March 25 of this year.
Neighbors became concerned last summer when the property became a convenient place for people to get rid of their unwanted junk. Residents in the area complained the property looked abandoned and unkempt. Left unmowed, the grass along the street went to seed. With the sudden closing also came abandoned store items.