Breaded Shrimp Coming to Wilson Convenience Store

Lisa Wilson (top), Debi DeWeese and customer Tim Carper

Photo by Linda Karn

(posted Mar 15)

Customers quickly become friends and neighbors at Wilson Convenience Store. Owner Lisa Wilson provides good food and hospitality for the Eagle Creek Highlands neighborhoods, apartments, and businesses. She offers a round table in the back for people to eat and to share fellowship.

Nikki has been coming into the store everyday since it opened in August. Not wanting to use her last name, Nikki said she came in for a fountain drink and discovered the good food like the chicken tenders. "It is better than a restaurant. It is juicy and tender," she said.

Wilson said the chicken is from Broaster Chicken Company. Part of the learning curve is finding vendors with good food. She finds the vendors by going to food shows where she can sample food. "I have already been to two shows this month and I plan to go to two more shows next month to add new items."

Wilson expects the biggest part of the store's revenue to come from sales of tenderloins, buffalo wings, chicken tenders, pizza, nachos, french fries, chili dogs, fish and chicken salad. By March 21, she plans to launch breaded shrimp. However her specialty is homemade pizza that is made with all fresh ingredients, not frozen. "The pizza is a family recipe," she said.

To her surprise, Wilson has had several huge orders. She supplied food for a neighborhood baby shower and a 400 piece chicken dinner for a church expo.

Wilson cooks with canola oil to avoid the trans fats. Freshness is important for her, so nothing remains under the heat lamps. It takes between 10 to 12 minutes to prepare the food, so customers might want to call ahead of time to place an order at 388-1902. She said the IndyGo bus drivers order ahead so they can maintain their schedule.

For Wilson, it has always been her a dream to own an independent convenience store. A Detroit native, she explained that convenience stores with gas stations are not the norm, so when she came to Indiana she wanted to launch her dream. It took five years of research and looking for locations before she stumbled onto the closed doors of Gas Plus next to the Main Event. It took her awhile to find a location because she did not want to be located next to a major brand name gas station. If fate would have it any better, the store is located in her own neighborhood.

As of now, The Gas Plus sign is fully illuminated at 7002 Shore Terrace, but as Wilson is seeing she has the acumen to carve out her own identity, she plans to quit the dba of Gas Plus. "I want to use my own name," she said.

Tim Carper came in for gas, but quickly learned the antiquated pumps were not operational. Wilson explained that revamping the gas pumps are next on her list. She said the tanks have been inspected, but she wants to install new pumps that accept credit cards. The other reason Wilson can't serve gas is due to older style pumps that can't be stopped from inside the store. "A person might prepay $5.00 but I can't get the pump to stop. I might as well give free gas," she said.

Customers seem to open up to Wilson because Carper started sharing his disappointment that IU and Purdue lost the night before and how packed the parking lot was at the strip center to watch the games at the Main Event.

Wilson has been able to hire one employee, Debi DeWeese. DeWeese knows the customers just as well as Wilson. Wilson and DeWeese take turn operating the store seven days a week. Wilson refers herself as "the extra employee."