Petroleum Distributor Valor Oil Makes the Leap Into Convenience Retail

OWENSBORO, Ky. — Valor Oil is expanding its presence in the convenience channel with company-operated stores.

Valor Oil is acquiring the assets of Harper Oil Products Inc. and Harper Properties Inc. effective April 1. The deal includes nine c-stores.

Valor will now have a physical presence in Owensboro, Bowling Green, Louisville, Florence and Maysville.

“We at Valor Oil can’t tell you how excited we are to have this opportunity to continue the work of such well-respected and well-run businesses," said Josh Emmick, Valor senior vice president.

Based in Florence, the Harper family has been a petroleum wholesale distributor and convenience store retailer in the northern Kentucky and greater Cincinnati market since 1955.

Steve and Larry Harper purchased the operations from founder Bobby Harper in 1990.

Harper Oil Products provides services to retail fueling stations, commercial, industrial, agricultural, oil heat and governmental customers with unbranded and branded fuels and lubricants.

Harper Properties operates nine convenience stores under the HOP Shops brand and one Dairy Queen Grill & Chill restaurant.

Based in Owensboro, Valor Oil is a third generation family-owned company and is a full-line petroleum distributor.

The company's services provide fuels, additives, lubricants, racing fuels and diesel exhaust fluid — as well as cost-saving services — to gas stations, convenience stores, and a variety of businesses in the commercial, industrial, marine, mining, oil heat and farming sectors in Kentucky, central Tennessee, southern Indiana, southern Illinois and southern Ohio.