Sonia and Marvin Nash: Wisconsin’s Only Black-Owned Gas Station, Meet the Couple Fighting to Keep it Open…

Sonia and Marvin Nash, the owners of the only Black-owned gas station in the entire state of Wisconsin, are working to regain customers after recent ownership changes and a temporary closure. The couple says that they are committed to keeping the station open by building strong community ties and launching new business initiatives.

The gas station was built 30 years ago, has changed hands multiple times, and has had lots of challenges over the years. Since the Nashes have taken over, they say that it has been a struggle to bring customers back, as many believed the station had shut down permanently.

Marvin Nash turned to social media, urging the community to support the business. He wrote in a Facebook post, “WE NEED your help, Milwaukee. Please patronize us. Please support us. We cannot succeed without you. I can’t tell anyone where to spend their hard-earned money, but how does the ONLY black and brown-owned gas station in Milwaukee not get the support it needs?”

Marvin emphasized that unlike larger competitors, their station could not rely on outside funding. The post led to an outpouring of support, with customers returning to the station.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sonia and Marvin, both new to the gas station industry, are determined to keep it thriving. Sonia works as a facilities manager, while Marvin is a retired correctional officer. To ease the transition, they rehired the previous staff to help manage daily operations.

Despite initial hesitation, the couple ultimately saw the purchase as an opportunity to keep the station Black- and Brown-owned. Now, they plan to make it a community hub by opening a barbecue café and hosting giveaways to give back to their customers.

“It’s important to us to be in that area, to be in that community,” she said. “It is so like family. It is so nice to have that in the community.

Their gas station is located at 807 W. Atkinson Avenue in Milwaukee.