Midtex Oil

In 1958 Fletcher Johnson began his consignee relationship with Humble Oil and Refining Company. Johnson Oil began with a staff of two - Fletcher, who was the jack-of-all-trades and a truck driver. During this time Johnson Oil worked strictly on commissions from Humble, based on the amount of products sold. In 1980, after twenty-two years of being a consignee, Johnson Oil Company became an Exxon distributor. The corporate office remains in Gonzales with satellite plants in New Braunfels, Pflugerville, Temple and Abilene, Texas. Soon after becoming a distributor the industry began to shift toward distributor operated convenience stores. In 1985 Tiger Tote Food Stores was born with its first store in Luling, Texas. Today the chain consists of 23 stores in 11 counties and currently employs 240 people.

Bear Oil Company can trace its roots as a petroleum marketer in San Antonio to the mid 1930s. Founded by George W. Johnson, Bear Oil Company, began serving local gasoline stations with both fuel and lubricants. In the1950s, Nettie R. Johnson and George T. Johnson ( George W.'s wife and son, respectively ) ran the company. In 1960 the company was purchased by J.E. "Jim" Engelman and incorporated in the same year. In 1967, Bear Oil Company moved from 1631 South Laredo Street near the Union Stock Yards to its present location on North Loop Road near the San Antonio International Airport. In April of1991 Nelson Grona purchased the company.In 2000 Bear Oil company became a member of the Commercial Fueling network ( CFN ) and in 2001 opened a second cardlock facility in the Tri-County Business Park near Interstate 35 in Schertz, Texas. With its local ownership in San Antonio and over 70 years of experience, it's easy to see that Bear Oil Company is a reliable and well-respected company. Despite its long history, Bear Oil is not stuck in the past. With state-of-the-art technology and innovative advances in billing and managing information, Bear Oil has become a leader in today's fuel and supply companies.