T.J. Singh became his own boss when he opened up his first business late in 2025, but it wasn’t that big of a leap.
Singh said he pretty much grew up in the gas station and convenience store owned by his father, Sukhwinder Singh — On the Way at 102 S. Main St. in Elmira — and as an adult has also served as one of the store managers.
So when a former restaurant property in Pine City became available, he jumped at the chance.
In December, Singh opened On the Way SP in the former Wheeler’s Restaurant site at 1825 Pennsylvania Ave. in Pine City, just north of the Pennsylvania state line. And he didn’t waste any time.
“When they closed, we opened,” said Singh, who said On the Way SP is really three enterprises in one.
“We divided it up into three businesses — ice cream, beer and liquor,” he said. “On the beer and ice cream side, we tried to make it a convenience store, with fast food, hot food, a little bit of everything.”
Since it opened, the store has been busy, Singh said, and he’s been very busy as well, since he is still helping out at his dad’s business.
“I’m still a manager there. I go back and forth. I’m keeping myself busy,” he said. “How many hours do I work? I can’t tell you but it’s well over 40 hours by the end of the week.
“Business has been good. People are loving us,” Singh added. “It gets busy, especially during rush hour in the afternoon. It’s all about how you treat people. You can have a great location, but you have to treat people right to make them feel welcome.”
Singh, who has 12 employees in his three-in-one business, said his new venture isn’t an exact copy of his father’s store. The Elmira site offers gasoline, for example, something his store doesn’t offer yet, although it’s something he would consider in the future.
In fact, even though he’s only been open for five months, Singh is already looking at possible future improvements.
“I’d like to make some changes to the building, give the place a little bit of life,” he said. “It’s a long process. We’ll see what kind of response we’re getting.”
And while he enjoys calling the shots, Singh said he still turns to his father for guidance.
“He’s still part of our operation,” he said. “He offers advice. He’s been a good role model for me.”
For more information about On the Go SP, check out their Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Like father, like son. New 3-in-1 convenience store opens in Pine City
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
