Biltmore Oil Company has been a family business for four generations in Buncombe County. Paul Simmons founded Biltmore Oil Company in 1930 with the philosophy of offering customers quality products and personal service. Pauls’ daughter, Bobbie Simmons Eblen and her husband, Joe Eblen, carried on this philosophy as the next generation to operate Biltmore Oil Company. The third generation, Bobbie & Joe’s daughters -- Margie and Jennie -- and Jennie’s husband, Rick Perkins, took leadership positions in the most recent decades. With Joe’s and Margie’s passing in 2013, Rick, Jennie and Margie’s daughter, Amanda, are now officers of the Biltmore Oil Company corporation and continue Paul Simmons’ operational philosophy.
Through-out the past 90 years the business has grown and evolved and became strategic in giving back to the community. During the 1970’s and 80’s, the company expanded into neighboring counties and introduced the ‘Eblen’ gasoline brand. In 1981, Biltmore Oil Company diversified by entering into the convenience store market with Eblen Short Stop Stores. There are currently six Eblen Short Stop Stores in Buncombe County. In the early 1990s, Biltmore Oil Company became a distributor of CITGO brand products. With the family’s leadership, over the past 20+ years Biltmore Oil Company and Eblen Short Stop Stores have made a philanthropic commitment to western North Carolina by contributing funds and volunteer time to Eblen Charities and many other local nonprofit organizations.
We are proud that today our companies’ goals include:
- continue to provide customers high quality products with uncompromising service,
- conduct business with fairness and integrity, and
- seek long-term relationships with suppliers, customers and employees.