Tiskilwa gets new gas station

TISKILWA — Tiskilwa residents now have a gas station in town after an absence of one for three years.

Craig Ziegler and Jodi Saletzki on Saturday opened Zig’s Station at 101 E. Main St. where a gas station has been in town for many years before it closed in 2011.

“There was a need in the community,” said Saletzki. “We did a lot of soul searching before buying this place. We were told this would help with the real estate market in town with having a gas station.”

Saletzki has lived in town for seven and one-half years while Ziegler has lived in Tiskilwa for his entire life. He also owns Steimle’s Garage in town.

“I love this town,” added Saletzki. “The support we have received from the town is awesome. It took us four months to remodel this building and give it a new look. We had a lot of volunteer help to get open because the town wanted it.”

Saletzki said since the station is independent and not branded, it allows them more flexibility to service the community’s needs and desires.

“We have started a wish book to see what we should carry. We want to know what our customers want and to serve the community. We don’t want things to sit on our shelves,” she said.

In addition to the basic convenience store items, the station also sells gas and donuts made daily by Saletzki.

“We have two grades of fuel, regular and biodiesel until it gets colder. We will then have regular diesel because it won’t gel up in the winter months,” added Saletzki, who has worked in the banking industry for 10 years and the insurance industry for six years before this latest venture with Ziegler, who has worked at Steimle’s Garage since 1979 and owned it since 1983.

Zig’s Station is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The store’s phone number is 815-646-1142.

It will be a family-run business with the couple’s five children also working at the station.

“It teaches them responsibility,” Saletzki said.

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