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MIDNIGHT SUN CAR RENTAL Greg says. “After a customer hit black ice on a
drive to Fairbanks, we knew we had to prioritize
Homegrown Hospitality on Alaska’s Roads safety. That’s why we keep things local when
the roads are slick.”
Despite growth and seasonal adjustments,
Midnight Car Rental has stayed true to its
helps run the family operation alongside his roots. “We’re locally owned and have a great
father and nephew. “One summer, a couple of reputation,” Greg says. “We pride ourselves on
tourists walked by and asked if the cars were providing great Alaska customer service. We
for rent because the town was out of rentals. want customers to relax and enjoy their time
That was it—we got our foot in the door and here, not worry about their rental car.”
took off running.” It’s a business shaped by the landscape
That one moment turned into a thriving
seasonal business that now operates with over and lifestyle of the Last Frontier—a business
built not just on wheels and engines, but on
210 vehicles during peak summer months. a family’s dedication to reliability, community,
While they offer everything from mid-size and the spirit of Alaska.
sedans to SUVs and minivans, their specialty For vehicle rentals go to: ineedacarrental.
is something uniquely suited to the needs of com. Address is: 4211 Spenard Rd,
Alaska’s large and varied groups: 15-passenger Anchorage, AK 99517
vans. “We have about 60 of those,” Greg says
proudly. “They’re used by churches, families,
colleges, bird watchers, and even international
fishing groups.”
But the rhythm of Alaska changes with the
Greg Joubert
seasons, and so does the fleet. When winter
sets in, the company pares down to 30–35
At first glance, Midnight Sun Car Rental vehicles, with most of the inventory tucked
looks like any other car lot in Anchorage—rows away in storage. “Winter rentals are mostly
of sedans, minivans, and SUVs lined up under schools traveling for sports like wrestling and
the ever-changing Alaskan sky. But behind cross-country skiing,” Greg explains. “We also
the steering wheels is a story of family legacy, see folks from villages coming in for holidays
entrepreneurial instinct, and community service or special events, and people needing a
that has powered the business since 1999. replacement car after an accident.”
It all began, fittingly, with a stroke of Winter driving in Alaska can be treacherous,
summer serendipity. “We started as a used car so Midnight Car Rental has adapted. “We limit
dealership,” recalls Greg Joubert, who now rentals to a 50-mile radius during the winter,”

fields in the Interior to the gold claims near Fairbanks.
Anchorage selected as construction headquarters.
Thousand of job seekers and adventurers poured into
the area to build the railroad, living in a tent city of
more than 2,000 on the banks of Ship Creek.
July 10, l915 - Land auction held that shaped layout
of present-day Anchorage. First lot sold for $825.
November 23, 1920 - Anchorage incorporated.
July 15, 1923 - President Warren G. Harding drove
a golden spike at Nenana, officially completing the
railroad’s construction.
1935 - Matanuska Valley Project brought more than
200 families from the Midwest to begin an agricultural
community north of Anchorage.
June 27, 1940 - Anchorage’s strategic position
attracted military interest with the threat of world
war. Construction began on army base and airfield.
1942 - Japanese invaded Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
In defense of the West Coast, the Alaska Highway
was built in eight months and 12 days, linking Alaska
with the rest of the nation through an overland route.
December 10, l951 - Anchorage International
Airport opens with transpolar airline traffic flying
between Europe and Asia. City becomes the “Air
Crossroads of the World.”
July 23, l957 - Oil was discovered in the Kenai
Peninsula, starting Alaska’s boom.
January 3, l959 - President Eisenhower signed the
Statehood Act, making Alaska the 49th state.
March 27, 1964 - The largest earthquake ever Anchorage Cityscape
recorded in North America took place on Good Friday
and measured 9.2 on the Richter Scale.
February 16, l968 - Oil companies announced the Starting in downtown Anchorage, the race crossed Alaska Pipeline. Oil and construction companies set
discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North more than 1,000 miles of wilderness to Nome and up headquarters in Anchorage, fueling a construction
Slope. commemorated the relay of life-saving diphtheria boom.
March 3, l973 - The first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog serum to Nome by sled dog mushers in l925. June 20, l977 - Prudhoe Bay oil began flowing
Race occurred to celebrate Alaska’s distinctive past. 1974 - Construction began on the 800-mile trans- to Valdez, reaching the Valdez terminal on July 28.
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