Building an Automotive Center at the Gateway to Melbourne International Airport

What STAX did

Michael acquired a BP gas station adjacent to Melbourne International Airport on Florida's Space Coast, then expanded the footprint by purchasing the neighboring tire shop and car rental agency — assembling a three-property automotive center through private equity capital. The c-store underwent a full renovation: new refrigeration, fuel pumps, LED lighting, IT infrastructure, and back office automation. Vendor agreements were restructured and a new team was hired to run daily operations.

The tire shop was renovated and leased to a growing local operator as his third location. The Hertz rental car lease was extended with a 25% rent increase. The fully stabilized assemblage was then sold to a larger operator — turning a $1.95M acquisition into a $3.6M exit in one of Florida's fastest-growing corridors for advanced engineering and aerospace employment.