BROOKINGS – A Brookings landmark is back in business.
Gary Newman closed Newman’s Convenience Store in 2020, but Ryan Livermont has reopened it.
Many things are the same: it’s still called Newman’s, it’s still located at 503 Sixth St. on the corner with Fifth Avenue, and Julie Erickson is still manager, according to Livermont.
He’s already made a few changes and upgrades – and plans to do more in the future – but he never intends to change the ambiance.
“Just expanding on (Gary’s customer service) and making it the best, local, home-grown station that everybody can come here and see a smile and be greeted like they’re somebody,” Livermont said.
Newman’s is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and “the coffee’s always on,” Livermont said.
For more information, call 692-5499 or visit Newman’s Convenience Store on Facebook.
Same, but better
“We’re keeping it as Newman’s Convenience Store,” Livermont confirmed.
It’s still a gas station, of course, offering E10 unleaded and unleaded with no ethanol, as well as premium gas.
You might notice an upgraded interior with new décor and new coolers because he’s added selections.
There are meats with a local flavor.
“Ground beef and ground round from the (South Dakota State University) meat lab. We have local fresh goat, lamb,” Livermont said.
Newman’s now has milk, bread, cheese, half and half, “just some smaller grocery items like that,” he said.
“We do have SDSU hobo (meat) sticks. That’s always been kind of a good hit,” Livermont said.
“We have expanded our Powerball. We have certain scratch tickets, but we expanded on that,” he said.
“We expanded our tobacco line, more than probably what Gary carried,” Livermont said.
“The beer cooler is a big thing,” Livermont said, adding they still carry Budweiser, Bush Light and Bud Light, “but we expanded the specialty drinks.”
If you like pop, “we got an expanded Pepsi cooler,” he said.
“If we don’t have it, we can get it in,” he said.
There are the intangibles, too.
“The great customer service that Gary always provided … we have that with returning Julie Erickson as the manager of the station; you’ll see her quite often,” Livermont said.
“Just an overall great, clean station to come and receive all of your necessary items,” Livermont said.
Came here for college
Originally from Interior, South Dakota, Livermont has lived in Pipestone, Minnesota, for 21 years. After graduating from Pipestone High School in 2008, he attended SDSU for three years, then he did odd jobs to save money.
“Once I did that … I bought Livermont Auction Company. I’ve been doing that now since January 2017 and built that up to where it is now,” he said.
He knew how to run a business but had never run a store before.
“There’s always a learning curve; you’re always learning something new every day,” Livermont said.
He’s had an interest in convenience stores for a while.
“It all started back with auctions, with Mom and Dad taking me to the big events and where there’s a lot of people. … I just loved being in front of people,” Livermont said.
“I’m a public figure. I love talking to people and interacting, and with the auction industry, you’re always talking to people, always selling something,” Livermont said, so he figured a convenience store would be a good fit.
Since he’d gone to college in Brookings, he knew the town.
“I love this town,” he said. “It’s not small, but it ain’t large. It’s just that in-between town that has great community pride in what they do, and I wanted to give back to the community.”
He didn’t mind the commute from Pipestone, where he still lives.
“I’m always on the road (with the auction business),” he said.
He knows the place is in good hands with Erickson, who’s been with Newman’s for 20 years.
Starting a new enterprise in the middle of COVID-19 didn’t faze Livermont.
“There’s always a need for a convenience store, even if there is a pandemic going on, of any sort. People need fuel, they need their necessary items like bread, milk, cheese and it’s just – I took a risk,” he said.
He was told long ago by an oldtime farmer that if it’s something you feel compelled to do, do it and even if “it flops on you, start over and do it again. I stuck to that quote and it’s been beneficial to me,” Livermont said.
Right fit
Livermont told a few people what he had in mind and was told to talk to Newman, which he did.
Newman’s fit what Livermont had in mind.
“Newman’s has always been a staple to this community; the name has stuck there with Gary’s personality, how he ran things, his customer service and I just didn’t want to see that disappear,” Livermont said.
“The cleanliness and the customer service that backed this station, Gary did an awesome job. … He had a great customer following,” Livermont said.
“It feels like at-home,” he said, adding he liked it wasn’t a corporate business, and it “spoke” to him. “It feels so comfortable … it just feels nice,” he added with a laugh.
His plans include future growth of the business in different ways.
“Eventually, I’d like to expand (and) possibly make it a bigger building,” Livermont said, along with adding more items, too.
One thing he definitely plans to do is keep the customer service level high, just like Newman did; both for the customers and to live up to Newman’s legacy.
“Gary still comes around once in a while and drinks a cup of coffee, so if you’re around, you might see him,” Livermont said.
Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.
