Have you noticed gas stations going out of business (Oakland: credit card, loan)

[joe moving]

I was talking to someone who said the only way stations are staying in business these days is with the "C-stores". Of course, many old gas stations do not have roofs over the pumps let alone a fancy convenience store.

In Midland Park, the Randy's Citgo is now gone as of a few weeks ago. On Franklin Ave (?) in Oakland (might have a different name in Oakland vs Franklin Lakes) there was a station in the middle of a residential area before you hit Route 202 that is now gone. Another one that isn't coming to mind is not also out of business but I distinctly remember at least 3 having gone out of business in the past few months.

Then of course nobody wants to buy these properties because of the potential disaster for enviro clean up.

We've got 3 former gas stations in Midland Park now all on Godwin ave. They are working on the U-Save I guess, that is going to take ~10 years or something.

[EEEPNJ]

There is one that went out of business in Wood-Ridge (on Valley Blvd) he was a CROOK though - always 10 cents or more higher than everyone else.

[HawaiiLover]

A family member who works in the fuel business told me that only the big name companies will be selling gas eventually.

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by HawaiiLover

A family member who works in the fuel business told me that only the big name companies will be selling gas eventually.

The little guys... "mom and pop stations" as we call them have been being forced out of business for the past 10 yrs. Between changing environmental regulations and the Big Name shops moving in..they can't survive. It's Sad!

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by HawaiiLover

A family member who works in the fuel business told me that only the big name companies will be selling gas eventually.

Yeah - and THAT will really help competition and bring prices down for the consumer... Capitalism works so well....

[Alex07860]

I know that the gas station on 15 south aka "The last gas station before route 80" closed down.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by joe moving

I was talking to someone who said the only way stations are staying in business these days is with the "C-stores". Of course, many old gas stations do not have roofs over the pumps let alone a fancy convenience store.

I dislike the C-store reference. The Gasoline Retailers of NJ are not called that any more. It's now NJ GCA (New Jersey Gasoline C store Automotive Association) Why they needed a name change is beyond me.

Originally Posted by wileynj

The little guys... "mom and pop stations" as we call them have been being forced out of business for the past 10 yrs. Between changing environmental regulations and the Big Name shops moving in..they can't survive. It's Sad!

I'd have to say it's longer then that.
I left the business in 1993 when I was pregnant with my daughter.
Back then things were bad for us.
We were Sunoco during the 80's, at some point Sunoco didn't want us because we didn't pump enough (under 120,000 gallons.

We were unbranded in the 90's. I remember my dad looking for a loan in 95 so that he could upgrade the tanks & pumps. Very tough times, couldn't afford to hire help, he had to use credit cards which he did not believe in.

[ottomobeale]

>I know that the gas station on 15 south aka "The last gas station before route 80" closed down.<

Didnt he have a store in there?

[Alex07860]

Originally Posted by ottomobeale

>I know that the gas station on 15 south aka "The last gas station before route 80" closed down.<

Didnt he have a store in there?

well, yeah, very small, nothing fancy, just get your coffee or a quick soda kinda shop. But I believe they went out of business because of the Gas station that opened up across the street from the New Orleans steakhouse on Berkshire Valley Rd, seems everyone was stopping there for gas but mind you, that gas station doesn't have a store either.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by Alex07860

I know that the gas station on 15 south aka "The last gas station before route 80" closed down.

He was in a heap of trouble for ripping the public off. From what I heard from another Sunoco dealer, sunoco themselves shut his sorry butt down