In their youth, the Holland Brothers of Britton recall days spent at the family business. Keith remembers working in the shop after school and on Saturdays fixing tires and doing oil changes. Kent says he enjoyed providing full-service for customers, pumping gas, washing windows and visiting with locals and travelers. Now, decades later and as they retire, the Holland Brothers look back on the years of hard work and the promising future of the business.
The establishment that would become the Britton mainstay, Holland Bros. Oil Complany, originated over 80 years ago. Located at 822 Vander Horck Ave., the original Phillips 66 station changed hands a few times over the earlier years. According to the Britton Centennial book, during most of the 1960s, Jarvis Nerland owned the business.
Kent tells that their parents Lowell and Hazel Holland took over the business from Nerland in 1970. The business was then known as Holland’s Champlin Service.
As noted, the Holland boys grew up at the gas station, working and learning the ropes. Kent added that in 1986, their dad made a wise decision when they added the NAPA store to the business. It was purchased from Harvey Thayer.
In the early 90s, Lowell and Hazel decided it was the right time to hand off the keys. Keith explained that by that time, their dad was not in the best of health with diabetes, so he was ready to retire. Kent and Keith took over the business in 1991. And over the years, they only continued to help it grow.
In 1994, they built a new building behind where the previous one was. They also upgraded their gas tanks. Kent says that the original tanks had actually been built on the state right of way. They were happy that service was barely interrupted as they moved to the new building. They also expanded their area and bought the lot to the east of the business.
As the brothers reflect on over thirty years of operating the business, they think of the many changes they saw. “The technology behind everything was probably the biggest change,” says Kent. “The automotive industry changes all the time, so keeping up with that is a big task.” He remembers his dad being befuddled by the new electronic credit card machines for a time.
They said that over the years there have been a fair share of challenges as well including keeping up with inflation for the business and customers. Keeping employees can be a challenge as well.
Yet, both Keith and Kent say they have been blessed with greatemployees,manyofwhich have stayed with the business for decades. Employees like Todd Landmark in the NAPA store, Karen Zuehlke in the office, Tony Hoisington in the shop and Shannon Martins at the C-Store have been invaluable. “We have been fortunate to keep several employees for a long time,” said Keith. “They know the business well and do a great job.”
The brothers are also proud of the place the business serves in the community. “I think over the years, it has become a go-to place,” said Kent. “Whether it’s kids hanging out grabbing food, people getting gas or someone who needs tires.” They have become a staple for customers not only in Britton but throughout Marshall County, into North Dakota and beyond.
Kent added that he also regularly hears people who are thankful for the NAPA parts store. He is particularly proud of the achievements of the store over the years. “We were rated as a 5-star store for several years,” noted Kent. “There are only a handful of stores in the country that earn that.”
Keith is happy with the service they’ve provided as owners. He remembers many times, the local sheriff’s department calling him for wrecker services or because someone ran out of gas. “People appreciate us being able to do that kind of thing,” he said. “We work to take care of each other around here.”
As they have continued to update and expand their business, the Holland Brothers were cognizant that a time to exit was on the horizon. They were more than happy when someone in the family stepped up into a crucial role, Keith’s son Karsen.
Like his dad, Karsen grew up in the business. Keith remembers him hanging around in the shop. “He was always there with his friends building a go-cart or something like that,” Keith says.
As he grew up, Karsen pursued an education that would eventually take him back to the family business. After graduating from Britton-Hecla in 2011, he attended Southeast Tech for autobody. He worked in Brookings then Fargo for a few years. He also helped at Weber’s in Britton for a while.
In 2017, Karsen says his dad officially offered him a job. When asked if he thought he would eventually take over the business at that point, he said he had an inkling. “I had it in the back of my mind that I might want to do that,” he said.
In the last year or so, with his elders looking towards retirement, talks started for the younger Holland to take over the business. Then, over eight months ago, the family began to work towards a sale. Yet, they found the number of steps they had to work through timeconsuming and never-ending.
“There were so many steps, between getting the gas tanks checked out and working with Hot Stuff,” said Karsen. “We couldn’t believe the amount of red tape.” Yet, perseverance paid off and the sale became official on March 27. Karsen and his wife Autumn, officially purchased all parts of the business.
However, Karsen notes that people will probably not see many changes. “Everything is going great, so I don’t plan to do anything different right now.” He is happy to confirm that all the employees have been great as well and plan to stick around. Karsen added that he is open to new ideas and updates in the future of course.
Keith’s familiar face will be around the business as well. He still plans to help out where needed and drive the fuel truck. He is though looking forward to more time spent golfing and at his lake cabin as well as eventual trips to a house he recently purchased near Houston.
For his part, Kent also plans to perfect his golf game. He also looks forward to more time spent with family who live out of the area.
Karsen says he and his family are excited by the future of Holland Bros. Oil Co. even as they appreciate the past. The outgoing duo is also happy to be keeping the business in the family and are satisfied with decades of service to the Britton area and beyond.
As Keith summed it up, “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been rewarding. The business sure turned out well.”
“I think over the years, it has become a go-to place, whether for kids hanging out grabbing food, people getting gas or someone who needs tires.”
----Kent Holland
