Rankin Supply

Rankin Supply In 1976, Doug and Betty Rankin purchased the former Cal Gardiner Shell Canada home heat agency in Thessalon, located at 359 River Road North.

Doug retired from owning and driving his own transport with Trans-Provincial Freight Carriers and dedicated his time to the new business. With his background in trucking, Doug expanded the fuels division, adding the first keylock diesel facility in the area, attracting a number of his former trucking friends. At the re-named Rankin Fuels location in Thessalon, he began to branch out into truck par

ts, filters, tires, and batteries and expanded the store hours. By the time Doug passed away in 1987, he had purchased the property next door to the fuel agency and added an addition to the building, and expanded the business name to "Rankin Fuels and Supply". Following Doug's passing, the company took many twists and turns, with up to 25 staff at one point, including The North Shore Sentinel, Rankin Service Centre, The File Folder, Hometown Rentals, and Thessalon Excavating and Contracting. For a time, the business also operated a summer ice cream parlour, a flea market, and the Thessalon Centennial Trade Show. Over the past 40 years, the business has supported countless local good causes and over 120 different people have worked in one division or the other at different times.

06/04/2026

We are OPEN and Debit/Credit is working.

Looking back...Before Andrew and Paul Valiquette opened the new building at 355 River Road North, in Thessalon, they wer...
06/02/2026

Looking back...Before Andrew and Paul Valiquette opened the new building at 355 River Road North, in Thessalon, they were selling and repairing Ski-Doo brand snowmachines out of a small addition on the back of Valiquette’s service station next door. Doug Rankin bought this 1969 Nordic Ski-Doo from that shop, and not long after he purchased the 1969 “Ski-boose mkII” to accommodate the four Rankin children, pictured above right, Randy, Cindy, Wendy, and Brent. How many of you remember those winter boots, in the days when kids wore what their mothers brought home for them and everyone in the family had the same style. It was a simpler time.

05/29/2026

Amy is at the store by herself today. Please be patient - if she doesn't answer the phone, leave a message, she will call you at her earliest opportunity.

Enjoy your Friday!

05/28/2026

Randy will be off Friday afternoon, therefore no hydraulic hoses will be made.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Looking back...Continuing with the Valiquette connection, here's some of the rest of the story.
05/28/2026

Looking back...Continuing with the Valiquette connection, here's some of the rest of the story.

Looking back over our history in Thessalon, there are many connections to other families with rich heritage here, like t...
05/23/2026

Looking back over our history in Thessalon, there are many connections to other families with rich heritage here, like the Morgans, the Gardiners, the Shaws, and Gregorys, and Valiquettes. Randy and Brent remember well visiting Valiquette's service station, where their father Doug had his trucks serviced and repaired. Randy later worked for Harold Shaw and Ken McColman when they had purchased the station where he earned his Class A automechanics licence, and later, in 1993, Rankins purchased the station, still operating today, but with Harold's son Richard now operating Shaw's Garage there. Brothers Andrew and Paul began Valiquette's Sales & Service snowmobile business in 1968, the building later housing a number of businesses, including one run by their brother John who manufactured wooden mini hockey sticks that he sold far and wide. John was also a fine artist and sign painter and lettered many of Doug Rankin's vehicles and made the sign for the front of the snowmobile shop and later for Rankin Fuels & Supply. Andrew and Paul were good friends of Doug's and they all served together in the Thessalon Lions Club, of which Randy would later become a member and serve a term as president. Over the years, Andrew also served multiple terms on Thessalon municipal Council, including as Deputy Mayor when Brent was sitting on Council as well - in fact, when Brent was Deputy Mayor himself, he was honoured to be able take part in the ribbon cutting for the new Sinton Tavern, which Andrew and Paul had earlier owned and operated before it was destroyed by fire in 1984. Doug was also a good friend of Valiquette brothers Yvon and George, who were all involved in the trucking business at the same time. Small towns have a way of bringing people together and, as Rankin Supply celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, it is a milestone shared with so many other local families who have been a vital part of that journey. Andrew turns 90 this year, and Doug would have been 90 earlier this month.

Looking back...Rankin Supply began in 1976, when Doug and Betty Rankin purchased the Shell bulk fuels business from Cal ...
05/21/2026

Looking back...Rankin Supply began in 1976, when Doug and Betty Rankin purchased the Shell bulk fuels business from Cal and Jean Gardiner, taking over the plant at 359 River Street (often referred to as River “Road”). In 1984, Doug purchased the building immediately to the south, which had originally been built as a Ski-Doo brand snowmobile dealership, and opened an auto and truck parts business remaned Rankin Fuels & Supply. Then, in 1993, Rankin Trucking Limited purchased River Road Gulf from Harold Shaw, a Petro-Canada branded gas and service station immediately to the south of the new parts store. Both buildings had been built by Andrew Valiquette who turns 90 this year. Andrew had been operating Valiquette’s B/A (later Gulf and then Petro-Canada) gas and service station for several years when he and his brother Paul decided to acquire the property next door to open a Ski-Doo dealership. There were a couple of houses and outbuildings to be demolished and the site was prepared for the 30’ by 60’ block building on slab. The photos in the post show a rear man-door and a service bay door that have since been filled in and sided over. Construction took place in 1968 with the first snowmobile season being the fall and winter of 1968-69. We’ll have more on Andrew and Paul’s journey in the next few posts. The building had a number of other tenants and owners before the Rankins, including Andrew and Paul's brother John, who built mini hockey sticks there.

Looking back...today's post is looking back a little further than Rankin Supply's 50 years to the Queen's Hotel in Thess...
05/19/2026

Looking back...today's post is looking back a little further than Rankin Supply's 50 years to the Queen's Hotel in Thessalon, which later would become share its history with the company.

Looking back...Rankin Supply is celebrating its 50th anniversary in good company. Among other notable five decade milest...
05/15/2026

Looking back...Rankin Supply is celebrating its 50th anniversary in good company. Among other notable five decade milestones is the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball team. The Toronto Blue Jays are celebrating their 50th season in 2026, marking half a century since the franchise's inaugural year in 1977. The year-long celebration will include on-field ceremonies, historical concourse exhibits, and limited-edition merchandise. As Rankin Supply looks back on its 50 years, several members of the Rankin family reflect on the opportunities they've been able to enjoy joining with other Canadians in celebrating the pride in our nation's MLB franchise.

05/14/2026

Please note that we will be CLOSED on Friday, May 15th and Monday, May 18th.

Have a safe and enjoyable long weekend!

Address

359 River Road N
Thessalon, ON
P0R1L0

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+17058422131

Website

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