Drivers make their way toward the pumps at the Shell gas station located off the Mellen Street exit in Centralia. During its grand opening celebration, the station offered gas for 85 cents per gallon, along with free food, and raffle prizes.
During its grand opening celebration, the Shell station off the Mellen Street exit offered travelers 85 cent gas. Hundreds of people took advantage of the deal filling up their vehicles.
At the grand opening celebration of the Shell gas station off of the Mellen Street exit, community members gathered for raffle drawings, free hot dogs and prizes. The biggest draw of the event was 85 cent gas per gallon, a deal that spanned from 10 a.m. to shortly after 1 p.m.
Cars line up to get 85 cent gas at the Shell station off the Mellen Street exit. The grand opening celebration caused a backup on the interstate and roads surrounding the station as travelers attempted to fuel up before the deal expired at 1 p.m.
The Shell gas station off of Mellen Street advertised gas for 85 cents per gallon during its grand opening celebration causing traffic to backup along local roads and Interstate 5.
Lines of cars brought traffic along the Mellen Street exit on Interstate 5 to a slow trickle as eager travelers attempted to fuel up their vehicles for a price of 85 cents per gallon.
The grand opening of the Shell station off the Mellen Street exit provided discounted prices for customers, as well as raffle items and free hot dogs and ice cream.
The event was advertised by Live 95/KITI radio. Matt Shannon, of the station, said the response had been good.
Originally gas was supposed to be offered at the discounted rate of $1.95, but a glitch in the computer system brought prices even further down to less than a dollar. The decrease in price caused a backup of customers hoping to get in on the deal.
The station was advised by law enforcement to stop advertising the deal on-air so traffic could be better managed.
The promotion started at 10 a.m. Shannon estimated 500 people or more had been through before 1 p.m.
The owner of the station, Harnek Dhudwal, said the gas station wanted to offer the deal to show customers they are appreciated. He owns the station with his brother-in-law, Amrjit Sinsh Rai.
This is the ninth gas station Dhudwal’s family has opened, including one in Winlock and others in the Port Angeles area. Although the station has been under new management for a year, the grand opening celebration took place on Friday.
“It’s been excellent,” Dhudwal said. “We are really appreciative of all the people and all of our neighbors.”
Barbara Moran, of Lacey, made the trip down to participate in the bike raffle and to also get the gas deal. She waited in line for approximately two hours with her dog Blue, and was able to get gas before the prices jumped back to $2.79 per gallon shortly after 1 p.m.
“We’ve been waiting patiently here and for the most part everyone’s been respectful,” she said of the long lines of traffic.
Ken Bannister, of Centralia, said he waited about an hour to fuel up his vehicle.
“I figured by the time I got there (to the pumps) there’d be no gas left,” he said. Bannister was able to fuel up right before prices returned to normal, but many others missed out on the deal because of the large traffic flows.
The Centralia Police Department was on hand to guide traffic, which clogged the area. Shortly after prices returned to normal, the gas station cleared out and business resumed as normal.
