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Company History
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The history of GOC, Ltd. can be traced back five decades to 1956, when Tobia Y. Gibson began his
oil services career at Harmon Oil Company in Butler, Alabama. Tobia learned every aspect of the company from bookkeeping, ordering
supplies, pump and tank installation and maintenance, delivery of product and even sales.
Upon the retirement of Mr. Harmon
in 1967, Tobia saw an opportunity for something better for himself and his family, so he purchased the commissioned agency for Standard
Oil Company of Kentucky from Harmon Oil Company with a sales territory limited to Choctaw County, Alabama, and began his new career as a business
owner. Gibson Oil Company was born taking over operations of Harmon Oil Company in the same building on Riderwood Drive. Over the
next nine years with Tobia's determination and keen business sense, Gibson Oil was able to prosper.
 In 1976, the Chevron Oil
Company decided to eliminate it's commissioned agents and Gibson Oil Company became an Exxon Distributorship. Understanding that the
business was growing and needing a larger base of operations, the bulk plant on Moody Lane was built to store fuel as well as other
products and service equipment. This enablabled the company to delivery the fuel product to the retail outlet and consumer customers.
The company incorporated in 1978 and became Gibson Oil Company, Inc. Through sound management and the purchase of McGowin Oil Company
of Jackson, Alabama, Gibson Oil Comany, Inc. was able to extend it's sales territory to several counties that included Choctaw, Washington
Sumter, Marengo and Clarke.
In 1984, to take advantage of retail outlets installing larger tanks onsite, two transports were purchased. This
made it possible to bypass the bulk plant and deliver directy to the retail outlet customers and helped cut overhead.
By 1989
the company had been able to establish itself as a dependable distributor in six counties including: Choctaw, Sumter, Washington, Clarke,
Marengo and Wilcox.
In 1992 GOC, Ltd. built its first convenient store in Silas Alabama. Seeing the tremendous potential of running stores; 1993 saw the opening of a second store in Chatom Alabama
and a third in Sweetwater Alabama in 1994. In December of 1995, a GOCO's was opened in the Company's home town of Butler, Alabama
marking the fourth store for GOC, Ltd. in three years.
Six months later the fifth GOCO store was opened for business in May of 1996 in Gilbertown, Alabama.
 Also in the summer of 1996, GOC, Ltd. moved into their new office building which was built at the company's first location on Riderwood Drive.
In Januaury of 1997 GOC, Ltd. bought Gibson Oil Company and there by combining the wholesale and retail sides of the business. 1997 also
saw the opening of three more GOCO stores, one in Coffeeville and two in Jackson, Alabama.
Deciding the time was right to enter the Gulf Coast market in Mississippi
GOC purchased a store in Biloxi. Officially the store became a GOCO's in March of 1999. Seeing that this store had the physical space
to improve product sales, GOC negotiated a Church's Chicken restaurant which has done very well.
GOC had a big year in 2002,
with the purchase of four stores and the opening of a regional office in Mississippi. The GOCO network now reaches with locations in Kiln, Waveland and
two in Bay St. Louis. The Mississippi regional office is located in Kiln.
Throughout its history, GOC, Ltd. has
seen a lot of changes: changes in names, changes in location, changes in personnel and even changes in ownership. The one variable that
has remained the same is the constant focus to meet the needs of the valued customers. So thank you to all our customers and employees for your support.
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