In 1968, Alec McLeod, Jr. purchased an oil jobber in St. Matthews, SC, and served as President and CEO. As the mom-and-pop grocers of yesteryear began to dwindle and small farmers began to consolidate and leave the business, Calhoun Oil started to slowly purchase and build convenience stores, the up-and-coming new gas stations of the day.

Calhoun Oil Company transformed from a small, rural farm fuel distributorship to a chain of gas stations, convenience stores, and Bojangles' restaurants. McLeod's son Boyd McLeod joined him in 1995 and purchased the business in 2006. He has continued to refurbish and update existing stores and look for new areas of opportunity to build upon, such as this new convenience store and truck stop in Sandy Run.

Calhoun Oil first ran two convenience stores converting from service stations, one at the old Orangeburg Mall and one on John C Calhoun Drive in Orangeburg. In 1978 Calhoun Oil built its first store from the ground up next to the main office in St. Matthews. In the following years, they built or purchased stores in Elloree, Orangeburg, Sumter, and Santee, SC. The first stores operated small delis to serve the community, and then in 1996, it added its first Bojangles' store in Orangeburg. In 2001 they remodeled the Santee location and built a second convenience store with another Bojangles'.

Calhoun Oil Co. operates 11 stores, 2 Palmetto Express Kitchens and 2 Bojangles' and currently employs approximately 180 people in its stores.
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In the past, Calhoun Oil Company has distributed for Citgo, BP, Fina, Chevron, Exxon, and Amoco. Calhoun Oil has recently rebranded all of its stores as BP/Amoco and is proud to open its first Truck Stop partnering with Roady's - America's Hometown Truck Stop (off I-26, exit 125, Gaston, SC.) The new store is in an area that is rapidly growing with both new industry and new housing developments in the nearby area of Sandy Run in Calhoun County. We are proud to expand our business in Calhoun County and serve the community with gas, fuel, convenience items, and a new deli, Palmetto Express Kitchens.