Quik Trip, 47th on Forbes private business list

QuikTrip. You almost certainly know the name, but there's a thing or two you probably don't know about the corner convenience store. <br><br>News on Six business reporter Steve Berg says we know

Tuesday, November 12th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

QuikTrip. You almost certainly know the name, but there's a thing or two you probably don't know about the corner convenience store.

News on Six business reporter Steve Berg says we know they've cornered the market here in Tulsa. But did you know they are one of the biggest private companies in the whole nation.

People know what they like about QuikTrip. Customer, "They're just about at every corner you go to you see a QuikTrip, and I think the prices are not that bad and they have easy access for gas too."

Another customer, "The clerks are friendly, they'll wait on you and take care of you." But few if any realize that, according to Forbes magazine, QuikTrip is the 47th biggest private company in the United States. Customer, "No I did not, didn't know that at all."

Maybe because it happened so quickly. In just six years, QuikTrip went from 103 on the list to 47. And their revenues have doubled, from an already impressive $1.4-billion, to $3-billion.

Customer, "They got a good thing going. They're consistent, they always have a good Cappuccino, good gas." Yes, the gasoline. It gets mentioned again and again. And QuikTrip's marketing manager Mike Thornbrugh says it's the gasoline that is fueling their tremendous growth. "We remain committed to be a gasoline marketer and we're moving more and more in that direction and obviously it's paid off for the company."

And while they like being high on the list of private companies, they might be even happier about just being private. They say any outside influence would be a major inconvenience. "We know what we're doing and we've always believed that our employees and our management can determine the future of QuikTrip, we don't think it's a very good idea for a Wall Street investor to tell us how to run our business.â€

Four Oklahoma companies made the list. The others are Rooney Brothers Construction, Hobby Lobby stores, and Love's Travel Stops, but their revenues were barely a third of QuikTrip's.