LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – Locals driving down Pleasant Hill Road may have noticed big changes to the signage at the former Shell station on Stanley Boulevard, right by Acalanes High School.
When the Bay Area Telegraph dropped by, the Shell sign had been removed and was lying haphazardly on the ground, and the gas station had been rebranded as Central Gas.
The station also appears to have made some aesthetic fixes and updates to its building.
What gives? According to a community discussion online, several locals who had spoken to the owner said that the changes happened for a very good reason: the price of the fuel.
Julie T. from Acalanes Ridge said, “The owner said because it’s cheaper and good gasoline,” they made the changes.
Others pointed out that gasoline at the station previously cost over five dollars per gallon; it’s now priced closer to four. Yes, overall changes in the price of gas account for most of that, but the shift to what’s likely an independent brand probably helps a lot too.
A quick look at Gasbuddy confirmed that Central Gas was more than $1 per gallon cheaper than nearby stations on Thursday AM.
There’s also another possible reason for the change. Again, the gas station is right across from Acalanes High School; it seems to get a lot of traffic from high schoolers looking to buy snacks and sodas.
Given that gas stations make a lot of their money from selling these kinds of items, it’s possible that the owner realized the gas itself wasn’t the big draw for their location and got tired of paying higher fees to be affiliated with a big national brand.
Either way, we’re just happy to see that this gas station is still in business since it’s the one that the Bay Area Telegraph uses on a regular basis!
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