Diversity and trust fuel company success

A family's move into the propane business came at just the right time.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
AUSTINTOWN -- These days, people want to find luxury right in their own homes, which has been good news for Youngstown Propane.
The family-run company, which has stores in Austintown and Canfield, specializes in providing high-end products for the home.
Bob Jones, company president, said many owners want to pamper themselves by spending an evening at home, cooking on a propane grill, sitting on comfortable deck furniture, spending some time in a spa and then relaxing in front of a gas fireplace.
Youngstown Propane has expanded into all of those products since its founding in 1981. Customers will spend anywhere from $500 for a grill to $10,000 for grill, fireplace, furniture and other items, Jones said.
"People for the last several years have put a value on leisure products for the home," he said.
Yet there is another side to the company. Providing propane for industrial uses and residential heating makes up 60 percent of company sales.
In fact, that's how Youngstown Propane got its start.
Robert and Vern Jones, Bob's father and uncle, had been working in another family business, Jones Oxygen, when they decided to strike out on their own 23 years ago. They brought along Bob as they created Youngstown Propane. They started in an office trailer on Meridian Road, primarily selling propane to fuel forklifts.
Gas grills were just becoming popular, however, and soon they were refilling propane tanks for homeowners. They then began selling grills and related supplies and fireplaces. They opened a store in Canfield in 1987 and moved into their current location on Boardman-Canfield Road in 1998.
Growth since then
Robert Jones died in 1991. Today, the business has 25 employees, including Vern Jones and Bob's three brothers. Rich Jones oversees the retail side of the business. Scott manages the service department, and Gary is general manager of the Canfield store.
Diversification has helped the company grow, Bob Jones said. Just as the summer grilling season is winding down, the winter heating season begins. Products don't sell themselves, however, and Jones credited his father with providing the example of how to succeed.
"We all have the gift of knowing how to do business, and that was taught to us by our father," he said.
The key has been backing up its top-of-the-line products with quality installation and service and making sure the customer is satisfied, he said.
"We build trust with them," he said.
shilling@vindy.com