The definitive guide to the history of Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change
2014
In April of 2014 Costa Kapothanasis purchases the assets of “Quick Change Inc.” in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in a seller held note deal, with a deposit that was funded
using personal credit cards, and a cash advance to himself using PayPal. The history of Quick Change Inc goes back to 1985 when a Gulf Service Station was retrofitted to have oil change pits. Putting an emphasis on speed and service, and not hassling the customers into secondary sales Quick Change Oil’s car count exceeded what it had previously done in 12 months, in just 6 months.
2015
Costa’s dog Brodie was made the mascot, and incorporated into the logo of the business. The font typeface for the original Quick Change logo is called “Dosis”.
You can visit an archived version of the original Quick Change Oil website here.
2016
After running Quick Change Oil for a year, and implementing his version of what he thought the Quick Lube Industry should be Costa Kapothanasis thought it was time to validate the model with a second location in Dillsburg Pennsylvania. The Dillsburg Pennsylvania location was left vacant by it’s previous owner, and Costa was able to assume the lease and take over “Amerilube.” Amerilube had a branding refresh done by Costa
Dillsburg Pennsylvania is a 10th the size of Harrisburg PA, so it was an opportunity to validate a long held thesis that Costa had in regards to the oil change business, that people will reward fast, and good service.
2016 Dillsburg opens 
You can visit an archived version of the original website here.
2016 Mount Prospect Illinois becomes store #3 – Payless Express Oil Change. The chance to expand next came to the Chicagoland area in Illinois. This was an important step in the companies journey as it was a way to engrain early in the DNA of the business, processes and third party applications. Costa felt that if he could successfully run a location in Chicago from his home in central PA he could run a store well anywhere. Payless Express Oil Change operated under that name for 30 years prior to Costa taking it over, and from 2016-2018 under that name and Costa’s ownership. 
You can find an archived version of the website here.
A fiverr user named Mooneycat designs the original Costa Oil logo for $6. The font typeface for the original logo is “Antraste” and is the primary font for creative design used in many pieces of content today. The logo features a minimal Hermes face, the Greek god of speed as well as the O in Oil being a combination of an oil drop and the signature wings on Hermes sandals. 
2017
In 2017 leading up to the planned roll out of uniform branding several options were considered for the branding. The brand that Costa felt had the most scalability was “Amerilube – 10 Minute Oil Change” with the sharp red white and blue colors. This was a short lived idea because a hydraulic fluid company in Ohio had a federal patent for the name Amerilube for the classifications of 037 and 007. Originally an entirely new name was considered – and that was Hermes Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change, and due to the success of the Harrisburg location, the intent was to keep the color scheme of blue and white, and roll that out to the three other locations. The Hermes logo was also designed by Fiverr user mooneycat. The employees of the four operating stores were asked to speak with customers about what they like in a name, and the results were fairly unanimous – the overwhelming response was the customers liked when the owners name was tied to the business. Costa Kapothanasis thought that Kapothanasis Quick Lube may not be the easiest business name to scale, and after some deliberation the name Costa Quick Change was considered due to Harrisburg being the highest volume location. After receiving some feedback from friends, family and employees, the name was shortened to what it currently is today, Costa Oil.
2018
January 1 2018 Costa Oil rolls out to Harrisburg PA, Dillsburg PA, Mt. Prospect IL, North Versailles PA, and Boardman OH.
The success of the Harrisburg location made the thought of rebranding the company a dubious task, and so it was the North Versailles location that ultimately was the first “Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change.” The Harrisburg store eventually makes the move to Costa Oil branding but not before first having several months of being Costa Quick Change.
One of the questions that is often asked is how did Costa Oil get it’s black and gold color scheme, and the answer came from the path often most chosen which is convenience. The North Versailles PA location which was the first store to become “Costa Oil” was previously a Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change that had not been converted to a Jiffy Lube during the great swap of 1991 when Pennzoil bought Jiffy Lube and further in 2002 when Shell bought Pennzoil. The building had already been black and gold painted, and the Pittsburgh market is very keen to the colors black and yellow to say the least. The process was completed in early 2018 and the Costa Oil brand was officially
running. You can visit an archived version of the Costa Oil website here
.
The next few sites of Costa Oil would come in early 2018 in Hanover PA, Millersville MD and Camp Hill PA.
Costa Oil would be featured in internet influencer Gary Vaynerchuk’s book Crushing It! 
2019
In late 2019 we went back to the Chicagoland area opening store number 9 in Bloomingdale IL. Also in 2019 Costa Oil moved into the oil filter business with a line of Costa Oil – Performance Filtration Filters.
2019 was the first time larger brands had reached out about acquiring the brand, but with a specific model and goal in mind, very lucrative offers from some of the largest brands in the quick lube space were rejected.
Costa Oil purchases its first box truck to begin a form of vertical integration. Self delivery of oil filters and oil reduced costs at the central Pennsylvania allow Costa Oil to offer competitive pricing which created car count growth that allowed the brand to thrive.
Costa Oil launches Spinny Oil waiting room game on Apples iOS App Store.
2019 – Costa Oil registers it’s first trademark with the USPTO
2020
COVID19 caused an upheaval in the commercial real estate but it was an opportunity for expansion for the Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change business. Several new locations opened including Lewisburg PA, Gibsonia PA, Plum PA and Poland OH. It was at this point that Costa had come across a location in Albemarle NC that struck him light a bolt of lightning and that was the single bay kiosk style building.
The north star of Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change has always been the oil change only model, a no hassle no appointment drive thru oil change experience. The goal became how do we achieve a model that allows us to have the appropriate expense structure to scale an oil change only business – and the answers came in the form of kiosk style buildings and franchising.
Summer of 2020 – Costa met with Alexander Buildings of Harrisburg to design a prototype quick lube facility.
Fall of 2020 – Costa met with friend Justin Arnold who was an attorney to discuss Getty Oil as a plausible franchising brand.
The company is split into four entities – Costa Oils Inc. The operating arm of the business. Getty Oil Company the distribution arm of the company. Kapo Realty LTD the real estate arm of the company and Costa Oil International Inc. the franchising arm of the company.
November 2020 Costa Oil International Inc signs agreement with Costa Oils Inc to be able to license the Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change brand to franchisees.
Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change brand moves company HQ to 1 E Market St York PA 17401
2021
February 2021 – Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change debuts at the Great American Franchise Expo in Miami 
March 2021 – The first Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change franchise is sold
April 2021 – The first Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change franchise location opens in Mesa AZ 
Fall 2021 – Costa Oil registers “America’s Favorite Oil Change” with the USPTO.
Costa begins sponsorship with NASCAR driver Ryan Ellis expanding Brand awareness
The Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change brand moves it’s corporate headquarters to 316 Broadway Hanover PA 17331
2022
Summer 2022 – 
Costa Kapothanasis is named to Forbes Next 1000 list
Fall 2022 – 
Costa Oil partners with vendor True Brand to launch line of private label additive products.
2023
Spring 2023 – The first Costa Oil – 10 Minute Oil Change franchise prototype building is built in St. Albans WV.
ABACO acquires 51% Costa Oil International Inc, and the entity is dissolved and recapitalized into Costa Franchising LLC.
Website is changed to its current format.
Fall 2023 –
Costa Kapothanasis is recognized as 2023 NOLN Operator of the Year Being a industry innovator
2024
Spring 2024 -The North Versailles did their first ever 81 car day and had record setting car counts.
Costa Oil Opens 12 New Franchise locations from February to April.
Costa Purchases Costa Franchising LLC from ABACO, as well as the remaining shareholders becoming sole owner of the Brand.
Summer 2024 – Costa continues to disrupt The industry with innovation and thinking that is outside the box leading to one of the fastest growing oil change Brands in North America. 
Costa oil makes waves in the industry by striking a agreement with chevron to pass operator friendly pricing for oil which leads to massive growth in volume for customer base