It took Krista Marshall leaving home to appreciate the family business her parents, Danny and Diane Schatz, had built.

“I grew up in the business my parents started in 1977,” Marshall said, speaking of her family’s Schatz Crossroads Truck Stop in Minot, North Dakota. After she graduated college, she spent several years working in high-end web technology and advertising firms before she and her husband decided to take advantage of “a great opportunity to move here and continue the family legacy,” she said. “My parents were happy to see the legacy continue to thrive.”

The co-owner and operator of Schatz Crossroads since 2010, Marshall loves serving the local community and travelers who stop by the store and its restaurant for good food, good service and a good time. “We’ve been welcoming travelers and locals for nearly 50 years, and we pride ourselves on keeping everything in tip-top shape,” she said.

A Family Legacy

Schatz Crossroads started as a small truck stop and gas station that Danny and Diane Schatz leased in 1977. They soon established a restaurant on site and turned it into a full-service truck stop. When the property across the street became available, the couple bought it and built Schatz Crossroads, operating both locations until 2002 when they closed the original leased store. In 1994, they also opened an additional Petro-branded truck stop in Fargo, North Dakota, about 230 miles away, which their daughter Deanne Savaleson now co-owns and operates. 

Marshall draws from the store’s long-standing history to serve customers in the community. “I’m continuing what my parents created,” she said. “There are generational challenges in all family transitions, and a learning curve for me as the second generation, but it’s been worth it to continue meeting the needs of our customers.”

The truck stop’s signature feature is its full-service sit-down restaurant. It was already a local destination, and Marshall has left it untouched.

Open 24/7, the restaurant serves breakfast around the clock and homemade pies, soups and specials. “A lot of truck stops have gone to fast food options but we prefer a different atmosphere,” Marshall said. The restaurant offers a counter for faster service as well as tables with servers. “It’s a very sociable place and has a lively atmosphere,” she said. “That has rippled to the rest of the business and created our signature feel.” 

Popular menu items include specials like knoephla soup, a traditional German soup with dumplings, and signature dishes like the #99 breakfast: hashbrowns, three scrambled eggs, onions, diced ham and cheese cooked on the grill. Customers also snap up the store’s caramel rolls—the restaurant sells upwards of a thousand each day. Over in the convenience store, “We sell more Mountain Dew than any other beverage put together,” she said.

Overcoming Challenges

As with any business, Marshall has to navigate roadblocks—some inherited and some new. “While things are very different from the 1990s, or even the ’70s or ’80s, some things are still the same when it comes to running a convenience store,” Marshall said. She cited four specific challenges she faces currently as a convenience store operator: equipment, technology, regulations and the ever-changing workforce. 

While she strives to keep the store fresh and updated, she also works hard to not erase its unique vibe. “We get a lot of foot traffic and we have to keep everything clean and in good working order, which is part of our promise to our customers,” she said. 

Schatz Crossroads has always supported the community through donations to animal shelters and local public works, like public art and public attractions. “We sponsor youth sports too, and believe in giving back to our local area as much as we can,” Marshall said. 

That commitment spills over to her employees. “We have a big crew of long-term employees,” Marshall said. Schatz’s fuel truck driver has worked for the family for 47 years, the restaurant manager for 36 years, and a number of employees have clocked more than 20 years in the business. “We try to run a family business and be as good to work for as possible,” she said. “We work alongside our employees as much as we possibly can.” 

At the end of the day, Marshall “wants customers to remember their visit with us versus just another stop on the road.”