When will QT gas stations come closer into City of Atlanta (sales, appliances)

[Atlwarrior]

With the price of gas going higher each day, it appears that QTgas prices are always lower than other gas stations. Whenever I leave the city limits. I notice multiple QT gas stations in Suburban Atlanta. The closes one near the city is at Lindbereigh and North Druid. Does anyone know why they want come closer into the city of Atlanta itself?

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

The closes one near the city is at Lindbereigh and North Druid.

That's an actual location?

[WanderingImport]

The REAL question is... when will Atlanta actually get GOOD gas stations (as alternatives to the much beloved QT) like Enmark and Parker's?

[Mishap]

The challenge is QT requires a sizable footprint and land isn't cheap in town. Either they have to find a use that produces adequate revenue to justify the land buy or the project doesn't get funded. Distance from the freeway also increases supply chain costs of delivering gas. Once you factor all of that in, the gas isn't much cheaper than the Shells or BPs in town.

[noah]

QT and Race Trac dominate the markets they are in with something like 30% of all gas bought purchased being bought at those brands in cities that Atlanta where they have a presence and both have plenty of locations ITP. Since they tend to open bigger stations my guess is the urban core where they can only fit a smaller station isn't what they are after.

[cwkimbro]

Yea most of the cost savings QT has is a mixture of dodging high tax areas, lower property values, and in no small part benefiting from economics of scale by having larger facilities by seeking higher amounts of sales for low to moderate additional costs. This model requires more land. It also requires being on a heavily traffic'd commuter roadway. They tend to be placed on cheaper pieces of land between more expensive 'nodes' along a major thoroughfare, but this still sets them up to attract gas buyers going on direction and lets them cut costs.

Even ignoring land value costs, the zoning restrictions on redevelopment would not be in QTs favor...

However, let me raise this question....

QT's are hardly going to be desirable for most redevelopment projects, but....

Is it worth allowing/encouraging the building of these mega-gas stations given the fact it will make it easier for many more of the smaller ones to go away and be redeveloped in the long-run?

Collectively the older smaller gas stations actually have a bigger foot print given their output, but it is scattered.

[Larry X]

Yeah, Atlanta gas stations suck, no QT's or RaceTrack's. Gas is expensive too at stations like Exxon and Chevron at least on
the west side. And why is gas so expensive in the west side of Atlanta anyway?

[MattCW]

I don't know, I think QT could be a huge benefit for an area it goes into. It's one of the few truly quality convenience stores there is. Other than cigarettes, they don't sell the other "vice appliances" that other stores do like "tobacco" bongs, knives, shoelaces, etc. Their facilities are always clean, the staff always friendly, helpful, and in uniform.

BTW-anyone know what those black boxes with the grey buttons do that all their employees carry?

[red92s]

I count 7 QT's with Atlanta mailing addresses, and about 10 inside the perimeter. The economies of scale they depend on to make that business model work might not scale to smaller, more expensive lots, where they can't move as many people in and out of the store.

[AnsleyPark]

Move to the burbs - lots of QTs out here!