Company History

Larry Dahl Founder & CEO

Oilstop’s roots are in a Medford, Oregon, car wash that was started in 1978 and an oil change store established in 1984. Soft prospects for business growth in the recessed, rural Oregon economy led to a study of potential markets in other west coast regions of the United States in which to relocate the business. This led to the selection of Petaluma in Sonoma County, California, because of the community’s rural, small town feeling and its nearness to the San Francisco Bay Area with its large population and potential to expand the number of Oilstop stores.

An abandoned Petaluma gas station was converted to an Oilstop and opened in May 1988, followed by two additional corporate stores in Rohnert Park in July 1990 and Santa Rosa in November 1991. Company-owned stores have since been established in Tucson, Arizona, and in the following California markets: San Mateo, San Jose, Monrovia, Costa Mesa, and Santa Clarita. Additional stores have also been established in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa, California.

Ps1, Inc. was established in 1999 as the Oilstop franchisor and is a wholly-owned Oilstop, Inc. company. The first Oilstop franchise was established in January 2000 in San Antonio, Texas, and since, franchises have been established in California, New Mexico, Tennessee, Oregon, and Virginia.

Since its inception, Oilstop, Inc. continues to enjoy an excellent working alliance with Chevron USA and its well-established reputation and high level of credibility in the automotive lubrication products industry.

The Oilstop business philosophy differs from that of many other companies. The cornerstone of the Oilstop philosophy is servant hood. This is an attitude of putting other people’s needs and desires ahead of your own in all situations. Learning to serve other people and to perform our job with a servant’s heart precipitates leadership at Oilstop. The company’s primary product is not a lube, oil & filter service – it is guest relations.

The Oilstop business philosophy is expressed in its Mission Statement:

“We will serve people with excellence, humbly, with a servant’s heart.”

Oilstop’s headquarters, including its Training Center, is located in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County, California.