HOLYROOD — A family-owned business in Holyrood has managed to stay in the family and recently celebrated its re-grand opening. C&V’s Convenient Store is back open to provide food, gas, and other necessities to the community and travelers in the area.
New owner Amber Montoya reopened the business Nov. 1. She is the daughter of Verna Montoya and the late Chris Montoya. Her parents bought the small gas station in 1986, renaming it C&V’s and turning it into a popular one-stop shop and diner. And she’s not unfamiliar with the work it takes to keep the business running.
“This was my first job,” she laughed. She was 4 years old when her parents bought the business. “I was doing dishes, wiping down tables, mopping the floor. When I was old enough to do real work here, I was doing everything. I think all of us kids grew up working here.”
Montoya has three brothers and one sister. Her sister, Candi Smith, also helps with the business. All of her siblings have been supportive of the venture and keeping the business in the family.
“My sister runs the Facebook page, the Google page and she contacts some of the contractors like our roofer and pest control,” Montoya said. “She’s my PR person.”
Montoya had been planning to take over the business since last winter.
“Dad called me in December wanting me to take it over so he could retire,” she said. “When my son got out of school in May, we were here the next day.”
Unfortunately, her father died unexpectedly in July, which complicated things. The store closed temporarily on July 7. Despite that tragedy, Montoya worked to jump through all the legal hurdles to get the business reopened.
“I started the beginning of August getting licenses and everything put in line, so by the time it was actually in my name in September, I had everything I needed,” she said. “It was just a matter of waiting for the funds to be in the bank so we could get the trucks ordered and everything else, so that’s why we chose Nov. 1 to reopen.”
Montoya said the community has been supportive, despite the storefront being closed for months. It doesn’t hurt that it is pretty much the only convenience store and diner available between Ellsworth and Great Bend.
Customer Carol Beck, Claflin, stopped in during the second week of business and agreed the store is an asset to the area.
“I love it. The food is really good and it is close and competitive with gas prices,” she said. “I appreciate another option in the area.”
Montoya said she also has a lot of return business from area truck drivers.
“We have our National Carrier trucks, the blue and white trucks. They park out behind here, then they are here for breakfast when we open at 5 a.m.,” she said. “As soon as they found out we were open, they were radioing each other saying, ‘Hey it’s back open.’ We get a lot of them.”
Montoya said the opening went better than expected.
“I was here for 16 hours that day, and I don’t think my feet ever hurt worse! It went great. It was really good that day,” she said.
Although the reopening hasn’t come without some unique challenges.
“We’re already on our fourth coffee pot now,” she laughed. “I came in here like the day before we opened and they came to service my pop machine and all my syrup bags exploded. I had a lake out here on the floor, so we had to mop up syrup all night. And then my coffee machine blew a breaker. The cappuccino machine was leaking water. I had a leak in the roof the other day. My big freezer went down twice, and I’ve had to replace my small freezer.”
But Montoya is taking the challenges in stride.
“I see it as our dad is testing me,” she said.
Montoya has already made some changes to the business, with more new improvements planned. One of the first changes was the hours of operation, which she expanded from 5 a.m.-9 p.m.
“This is pretty much the only place open between Ellsworth and Great Bend,” she said. “That’s why I decided to open earlier and stay open later because people commuting can’t get here at a certain time.”
She’s also started offering a “Sunday Special” meal.
“This last one was a tribute to my mom’s cooking,” she said of “Verna’s Meatloaf.” “The next one I’m going to do is a tribute to my dad. It’s his smothered steaks. Pretty much the customers ask for it and we find a way to make it happen.”
Making her parents’ recipes helps keep their traditions alive.
“I felt pretty honored to make my parents’ meals this past Sunday. Honestly, I’ve never made that meatloaf before in my life. I’ve eaten it plenty of times. I’ve never had to make it,” she said. “I tasted it when I was done and I was like, oh, there is my childhood right there.”
She has found a copy of the first menu her parents made when they opened C&V’s. It contains original drawings done by her father. She plans to have it framed and on display.
Montoya has other changes planned for the facility.
“After the first of the year, we are going to remodel the kitchen,” she said.
The remodel will consist of new stainless steel cabinets and walls, as well as padded flooring for the kitchen.
“Then, after that, I’ll get the floors redone in the dining area and I’m having a new countertop made because we need space for new things,” she said.
The new products will offer more variety for customers.
“We’ll be featuring the Ellsworth Packing plant’s snack sticks. I want to put a warmer on the counter for hot breakfast sandwiches and stuff and add a mini pop cooler with frappuccinos,” she said.
The new counter will also have better shelving for candy and snacks.
Even with all the changes, some things have stayed the same. Montoya still shops locally whenever possible.
“We get our meat from Ellsworth Packing. We get our bread and fresh produce from Bailey’s Food Bin in Claflin,” she said. “Really, the only thing I get from anyone else is like the big stuff, frozen stuff we get from Cash-Wa and Sysco, and even our drivers for them are local. One is from Great Bend and one from Ellsworth.”
Another thing that hasn’t changed is the staff. Her four employees all worked for the business before it closed in July. Marque Monsees, Michele Wiezorek, Nicki Myers and Rebecca James all were eager to return to work at C&V’s.
“I don’t think I could do it without them,” Montoya said. “I kept in touch with them the whole time we were closed and kept them up-to-date. As soon as I had an opening date, they had their paperwork filled out and I had it in the computer system and they were ready and raring to go. I know if I called them for anything, they would be here in a heartbeat.”
Montoya plans to keep the multi-generational family business in the family.
“My daughter plans on taking it over after me — her and my son,” she said. “My son was just here and helped us out in the kitchen. He came up for a salad and left two hours later. They both know the business. And her siblings have been supportive and crucial to keeping the business alive.
“This place has been here so far for 38 years, and I don’t plan on letting it go anywhere anytime soon. We’re back, and we’re not going anywhere.”