MILWAUKEE, WI- There’s something different about the BP gas station at 807 W. Atkinson Ave. in Milwaukee.
You may not know it at first glance but it’s the only black female owned gas station in Wisconsin.
Owner Kai Trimble-Lea bought the business in October 2021.
“It becomes a family atmosphere and we want that and like that. You can appreciate it also because the community cares about the station and we care about them,” said Trimble-Lea.
She bought the station from longtime owner Diane Stowers, who owned the station for 31 years. Stowers says it was important to sell it to someone in the black community.
“This is our community and we wanted it (the station) to stay representative of us,” Stowers said.
The business also has a sense of family when you walk inside; employees and customers seem to know each other. It appears the customers aren’t just filling up their tank but checking in on their neighborhood friends and family.
“The customer base has been loyal and has been very supportive of what’s going on,” Trimble-Lea said. “If what’s happening on 8th and Atkinson could be happening all over the world, we would be in a lot better shape than we are.”
To hear the full interview click on the audio player above.
