Chances are, unless you drive an electric Fisker Karma automobile, recently made famous by Justin Bieber’s high-speed scant from car chasing paparazzi, you own an internal combustion automobile. Thus, you need to fuel up at the old gas pump.
Gas pumps have been around a very long time, the first purpose built gas station (or filling station) opened in the U.S. in 1905 in St Louis, Missouri. Just prior to this point most people bought gasoline (or petrol) from tank behind a local pharmacy, but with the advent of lower cost manufacturing, automobiles became more attainably by the average American and required more fuel filling retail stores.
Those gas stations—categorized within commercial real estate as “specialty retail”— are now much different.
Gone are the attendants that dispense gasoline, check the oil level and tire pressure. Since the average new car has better engine seals and tires, those folks are not necessarily needed. Replacing the filling attendants and adding payment conveyance are electronic “pay-at-the-pump” devices, which added much needed environmental and safety improvements to gasoline distribution.
One such new service station is the BP am/pm, situated at the southwest corner of 75th St. and Plainfield-Naperville Road.
Built in 2004, the property was purchased in 2008 by the current owner. This is a larger store; the main building is 4,500 square feet, with 12 pumps, covered canopy, air stations, vacuums, safety cameras, and 24 high output lights.
This store serves between 45,000 and 50,000 Naperville area residents each month with nearly 2,500 different products; including bakery items made on location, fresh hot and cold sandwiches, greeting cards, phone accessories, gift cards, and tickets for concerts and shows. They also provide quick charge stations for cell phones in addition to nitrogen enriched gasoline (and maybe quick charge stations for cars someday – one never knows).
Owner Farida Tejany joins many small business owners as an involved member in our community. Every fall, Tejany opens her store to several special needs groups so they can help individuals develop shopping skills.
The service station also participates in the national Leukemia and Lymphoma fundraising campaign, providing anyone who makes a donation at their store a free cup of coffee.
“We love Naperville residents,” said Tejany. “They’re very supportive of each other, and that inspires us to get involved.”
