September 5, 2008
Station owners feel pinch, too
It was near noon on Wednesday, but it was uncharacteristically quiet at the Exxon gas station on Route 112 and the south service road of the Long Island Expressway in Medford.
There were no customers at the gas pumps.
There were no customers inside buying goods at the Tiger Mart -- or buying food and coffee at the Dunkin' Donuts.
Usually, there are lines.
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But, station employee Rajiv Kumar, 35, of Brentwood, said, lately business has been slow.
"This," he said, "is the slowest it's been. It's a big concern for everybody, not just here.
"All the customers want to know is, 'How come the price is so high?' I tell them, 'We can only hope the prices will go down.'
"But, I don't know."
The pump prices outside were what passes for the normal range these days on Long Island: regular $3.89.9; plus $3.99.9 and supreme $4.09.9.
The effect of the rising pump prices has been widespread.
On an average day, the once-busy Exxon station used to sell about 10,000 gallons of gasoline, Kumar said.
The past week? It's been averaging 3,000 gallons sold.
And, co-worker Mahfuza Akther said, the decline in business has meant slow sales for the Dunkin' Donuts she operates .
"No one," she said, "is buying the doughnuts. We are not selling as much coffee. We are not selling the doughnuts. Usually, we have a line. But not now."
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