Since opening our doors in 2019, MPAC Aviation has been blessed with steady growth that has moved us from a home office to a small service station and on to our current location in historic downtown Independence, KS. The two buildings we have refurbished and occupied hold significant meaning to me and my family and are a physical representation of the service-based philosophy that drives MPAC Aviation.
The Service Station Philosophy
Most people today have forgotten about service stations. Service stations were the precursor for the modern gas station/convenience mart. But service station isn’t just the “old term” for gas station. It was an entirely different type of business than today’s gas station. You went to a service station not only to get a full tank of gas, but to receive service. The attendants filled up your tank of course, but they also checked your car’s fluid levels and tire pressure and washed the windows. Many service stations even had service bays where they could perform basic maintenance on your car.
When I was very young, my dad owned a Standard service station. Starting when I was in eighth grade until I was well into high school, my best friend, Brad, and I worked at his dad’s Skelly service stations where we were responsible for all aspects of service to the customers including opening and closing the stations on the weekends. That experience taught us the value of taking care of every customer that pulled onto the drive whether they were spending a couple dollars or filling up the tank.
At today’s “gas stations” it is rare to find personal attention and service. Today when our car’s tank is low, we fill it up ourselves without ever having to make contact with another person; and the additional maintenance is on us to hopefully remember to perform. This shift from service station to gas station is just one small example of the change that has affected all industries as our global culture has shifted from service-based to convenience-based.
Our First Location
When we were looking to expand beyond the walls of my home office, we purchased our first building, a former service station, in April 2020. The service station was built in 1960 and owned for many years by two local businessmen, Gene Garrison and Frank Hey. Garrison and Hey were passionate about providing excellent service to each customer and their station was a fixture of the downtown community for over 40 years. When they retired and sold the station, the building became home to several different short-lived business ventures until it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
We knew it would require a lot of work to return the property to a functional space, but we also knew it was a perfect physical representation of the mission of our business: to serve our customers the way we want to be served.
We designed the building to maintain the essence of that original service station and we even kept things from the original station like the service bay, car lift, and canopy.
The station served us well for several years, but as the business continued to grow, we found ourselves needing more space.
Our Current Location
As we looked for a new location to accommodate the growing business, we once again found the opportunity to purchase an abandoned downtown building with a history of service. One hundred years ago, the site of our current building was originally an automotive service shop for the car dealership that sat next door: Lou Ernest Nash Autos and Trucks. After the dealership closed its doors, the building was home to several other service-based businesses over the years until a fire destroyed the original building.
The current building was built in the 80s and housed an automotive parts supply business for many years. The building sat empty for four years before we purchased it and began the task of renovating it into a modern office and warehouse facility triple the size of our former location. We moved into the new space in July 2024 and our building continues to be an everyday reminder that we are not an aviation business that provides services; we are a service business that serves the aviation industry.
In 2025, we found an opportunity to honor all those who serve our city, state, and country by commissioning a mural on the wall of our parking lot. We are proud to contribute this beautiful tribute to service to the downtown area.
“We are not an aviation business that provides services; we are a service business that serves the aviation industry.”
Our Town
Unfortunately the story of our abandoned buildings is the same story of many businesses in small town America. As the world has shifted from a focus on service, to a focus on convenience, many small businesses and small towns in America have been abandoned.
Independence, KS is my hometown. In fact it has been my family’s hometown since 1886 when my great-grandfather immigrated to the United States. Both sides of my family have owned and operated service-based businesses in Independence including restaurants, grocery stores and service stations. We have watched the town grow, thrive, decline, and, most recently, begin the work of revitalization. We are proud to be part of this revitalization effort, and we are proud to call Independence home.
If you ever find yourself in southeast Kansas, stop by the office! I’d love to show you around!
About the Author
Phillip Fienen
Having worked in the aviation industry for more than 40 years, I've seen just about every aspect of the accessory overhaul business. From working in inspection, production, and management roles in accessory shops to being a customer of those shops, I can tell you there is a better way to manage engine accessory overhauls. I founded MPAC Aviation Services LLC with the mission to serve customers the way I want to be served.
