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Sullivans give back time with quick oil changes
Costa Oil offers quick and convenient oil changes without leaving your vehicle
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MT. PLEASANT — For Andrew and Terrie Sullivan, opening a Costa Oil location in Mt. Pleasant wasn’t just a business decision. It was a chance to create something meaningful, something built on community values, and something that solved a real problem for people in small-town Iowa.
“I was looking for something to do that I was passionate about,” Andrew said.
With Terrie retiring as a teacher and the Sullivan children entering their adult lives, Andrew was left wondering what the next step in his journey would look like. He explored various franchise opportunities, but nothing stood out — until he came across Costa Oil.
After attending Costa Oil’s “Discovery Day” in Pennsylvania to learn more about the brand, Andrew returned with a clear vision.
“I came back and told my wife, I said, I think this is something we need to get in on,” Andrew said.
Costa Oil is a growing franchise known for its 10-minute oil changes, performed while customers remain in their vehicles. That unique service model and especially the company’s commitment to customer trust caught the Sullivans’ attention.
“There’s no upselling,” Andrew explained. “It's not a stressful environment. We educate the customer on things for their car, but we do not upsell at all.”
The Sullivans opened their first Costa Oil location in Newton in September 2023. Not too long after that they opened the Mt. Pleasant location in January 2025. Andrew said Mt. Pleasant was an obvious choice.
“We knew that it was a very similar situation to Newton — county seat, kind of an oasis away from other metropolitan areas — and quite frankly, a service desert when it came to this type of business,” he said.
From the beginning, the Mt. Pleasant community responded.
“We have people pull in every day and they’re like; ‘thank God you opened. This is so great. We’re so glad somebody’s in here and doing this,’” Andrew said.
The service is intentionally simple, and intentionally fast. Customers don’t need to schedule an appointment, and they don’t need to leave their car.
“We never require an appointment,” Andrew said. “We are a come-when-you-want. We have great expanded hours. You come at your convenience, and we offer you coffee and water while you wait. In Newton, we have people come in during their lunch hour and sit there on their laptop and they just work while they get their oil changed. They never even leave the office.”
That same convenience is especially appreciated in rural towns, where daily life often means driving long distances.
“We get people from 20, 30 miles or more away that are coming in and getting oil changes,” he said. “You don’t just willy-nilly make a trip to town. When you come to town, you’re going to do five, six, seven things. We feel like we really fit in that space.”
Andrew grew up on a farm near Lisbon, and his wife Terrie spent her career in education before making a leap into small business.
“She retired from teaching and became the boss of the oil change shop,” he said.
Her teaching experience turned out to be a perfect fit for the business.
“She created her own training modules for the technicians … she really went into teacher mode,” Andrew said, adding that some of her methods are now being used in other Costa Oil locations across the country.
Terrie also brought her heart for education into their business values.
“We have an educator discount,” Andrew said. “She’s a retired teacher and I actually served on the school board at Lisbon for nine years, three years as president. We just know that educators — it’s a true passion, and not so great pay. We try to help where we can.”
The Sullivans also offer a 25% discount for military personnel and first responders — across both locations.
“We feel very humbled in offering that. We appreciate the sacrifices they made,” Andrew said. “And we thank them repeatedly when they come in.”
Giving back goes beyond discounts. The Sullivans are actively involved in supporting their community, including sponsoring the Mt. Pleasant High School track team and contributing to local school initiatives.
“We're passionate about trying to help the community and being a good neighbor,” Andrew said.
In addition to individual customers, Costa Oil Mt. Pleasant serves municipal and commercial fleets.
“We offer fleet discounts, we pick up the sales tax, we do 30-day net billing,” Andrew explained. “It saves companies money, and it frees up their higher-paid mechanics to work on more complex issues instead of oil changes.”
The shop also provides added value in the form of maintenance records.
“We keep records of every time they’re there. If someone’s selling their car or has an insurance issue, we can print off every visit they’ve made,” he said.
Though still new in Mt. Pleasant, the Sullivans feel confident in the path they’ve chosen and the people they serve.
“We’ve had a great response so far,” Andrew said. “The reception in Mt. Pleasant has been very welcoming. The people have been fantastic.”
As they continue to build their presence in southeast Iowa, the Sullivans remain committed to offering fast, honest, and community-driven service.
“We feel like we’re giving people time back,” Andrew said. “And in this day and age, that might be the most valuable thing we can offer.”
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
