Livingston gas station reopens

LIVINGSTON- The gas station at Livingston officially opened under new management on Saturday.

Joseph Stodghill is developing the space formerly known as The Gathering into a Madison County location for Jackson staple Martin’s Downtown.

He said he hopes to open Martin’s in Livingston in May but the first step was to get the gas station, now dubbed Martin’s Market in working order.

“The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive,” Stogdhill said. “We have met neighbors we didn't know we had and a lot of people have said they are grateful for the store. This just reaffirmed our desire to keep it open.”

Stodghill said the market was down for a few days after they began work last Tuesday, April 2. He said that between then and Saturday they reorganized the space, did some minor renovations and restocked everything in the store they could.

In addition to gas, Martin’s Market will serve full breakfast offerings and competitively priced, staple grocery items at the gas station.

“We are not running out of bait or anything,” Stodghill said. “We are well stocked and well provisioned. We want anyone who has not been there in a while to come back by and see us.”

Stodghill acquired Martin’s Downtown on State Street in Jackson in 2012. He heard that space was open in early January — a day he remembers well because he had surgery that morning.

“As soon as I got home and got comfortable I started working the phones,” he said.

He said the current target is to open the Martin’s location at the end of May.