Pronto Convenience: More than just a chain store

by Becky Uehling

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

As of Friday, Jan. 13, what was formerly In & Out Convenience Store in Grant is now Pronto Convenience, under the ownership of Mike Schroer. Operating the store will be Mike’s daughter, Sydney Sohler and her husband David. Continuing to serve as store manager will be Janet Huff.

Mike is the owner of six other convenience stores in Nebraska, mainly in North Platte, and he saw a great opportunity for his family when Amy and Kasey Kroeker listed In & Out for sale. 

“I am very familiar with the area, and I knew Amy and Kasey did a great job with this store,” Mike said on Sunday. 

Schroer said the goal is for Sydney and David to take ownership of the Grant Pronto store within the next two years or so. 

“The sale of In & Out presented a great opportunity to help Sydney and David move back this way, and a great way for me to be able to see my grandchildren more,” Mike said.

After serving as Operations Sales Manager for Sandhills Distributing for many years, Mike decided to purchase his own business and bought Big Red Liquors in North Platte. From there he has grown his business to five more convenience stores, including In & Out. However, he doesn’t consider his businesses “chain” stores, but stores that are locally owned with family values.

Out of Mike’s seven children, three are working with him in his convenience store business—daughter Sydney and sons Brady and Logan. That is, so far, he said.

“There is a good shot that we will be buying more stores,” he said. 

Sydney is a graduate of Ogallala High School, and her mom, Gwen Rezac, still lives in Ogallala. After high school, Sydney attended UNK where she met David, who is from the Laurel area. 

After Sydney and David graduated from UNK, Sydney with a marketing degree and David with a business degree, they moved back to David’s hometown where they were in farming with David’s family. 

However, Sydney had hoped for a chance to move back to western Nebraska, and with her dad’s purchase of In & Out, the opportunity presented itself. 

“We are excited for this change and opportunity,” Sydney said. “And we are excited to become a part of the Grant community.”

Sydney and David are now living in Grant with their two children, Harlow, 5, and Hayes, 3, and another baby due in March. 

According to Mike, customers won’t see any drastic changes to the store at first, besides the changing of its name to Pronto Convenience. 

“We love the small town atmosphere of Grant,” Mike said. “And we are excited to get to know people here.”

The other stores that Mike owns, besides the Grant Pronto and Big Red Liquors, are Big Red Liquors at The Barn, Pronto and Skyline Liquors, all of North Platte, and Cork and Cap in Cozad.