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Gas station seen as boon to New Middletown village
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Fred Ross’s garage was the last the place offering gas services in New Middletown. But a year ago, contract negotiations with gas suppliers stalled, forcing Ross to stop selling gas.
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For more than a year, New Middletown village has been without a gas station, forcing residents to drive either to Poland, Boardman or in the other direction, Pennsylvania. When built in October, Tic Toc Food Mart will be the only gas provider in the village.
By Robert Guttersohn
NEW MIDDLETOWN
Sun-faded caution tape wraps around the Shell gas pumps in front of Fred Ross’ auto shop along Main Street.
Ross, whose auto shop is simply called Fred’s Shell, has leased the building for 12 years. For 11 of them, customers could either have their car fixed or fill up on gas. But for more than a year now, contractual issues with a gas supplier have left his pumps dry.
“They want you to front the cost for $20,000 to $30,000 worth of equipment,” Ross said, his hands stained by grease and oil. “How do they expect me to do that? I don’t have a convenience store.”
As he shops around for other gas suppliers, the village of 1,621 residents has no gas station.
“It’s a shame the village is without gas,” Ross said.
These people aren’t alone. Residents of Springfield Township and Petersburg also have to drive elsewhere to find the nearest gas station.
Come late October, the residents, businesses and those just driving along Route 170 may have some relief.
Tic Toc Food Mart began building its fourth convenience store with a gas station on the corner of Route 170 and East Calla Road.
The company, based in Pennsylvania, said the store will be 4,700 square feet serving ice cream and with an outdoor eating space, according to project coordinator Ed Retort.
“It’s just going to be a convenience, not just for business but for everyone around,” said Jason Clevenger, store manager of Cocca’s Pizza.
Years ago, New Middletown had two gas stations, Ross’ and a Sunoco station farther north down Main Street. But the Illinois-based company that owned it filed for bankruptcy and closed the station, according to police Chief Vince D’Egidio.
“It’s a real inconvenience,” he said, sitting in front of a series of security screens in the village’s municipal building. “You have to drive to Poland or Boardman just to get gas.”
But the problem falls on more than just residents of southeast Mahoning County. Local businesses also have complained at city council meetings.
They say consumers drive to other cities where they can fill up their tank, bank and shop all in one day.
“It does affect us,” said Tony Frattaroli from Frattaroli Sparkle Market. “When people have to go to Boardman or [Pennsylvania] the other way to fill up on gas, they stay there.”
Clevenger said: “It hasn’t really changed anything except they’re ordering for delivery more.
It has affected his drivers, he said. They have to plan ahead when it comes to gas.
If a driver is running low during the day, Clevenger will make sure they deliver close to Five Points — a five-point intersection close to the border of Poland and Boardman.
Clevenger noted the coming Tic Toc Food Mart will make planning delivery routes much easier.
Not having gas in a community “has that trickle-down effect,” D’Egidio said. “People like to come to an area and do everything in one place.”
He said out-of-towners driving from Pennsylvania frequently will stop and ask around where the town’s gas stations are.
“We had someone run out of gas right out in front of the municipal building,” he said.
The driver was from out of town, but the police used their own pump to put four gallons in.
“We did it as a community service,” D’Egidio said.