One Gas Station Goes Below $2 Per Gallon, And Competitors Follow Suit

ST. CROIX — On Tuesday, Super Tanker Service Station, located across the Wendy’s Restaurant in Sunny Isle, lowered its gas price to $1.99 per gallon for regular unleaded. It was the first time in years that the price of gas had gone below the $2 mark in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The owners of Super Tanker, in a conversation with this publication at the gas station Tuesday afternoon, said the move was their way of giving back to the community, as they’ve been in business on this island for decades.

“There is literally no profit in this move,” said Iyad Abdallah, an owner of the gas station. “But what it is, you’re offering that return for the people.”

Their move immediately sent gas prices on this island tumbling, with Shuama Gas Station, located just across the street from Super Tanker, Gateway Gas Station in Peter’s Rest and gas stations across the island, following Super Tanker’s lead.

The competition had long been called for by government officials and senators, including this year’s senatorial race top vote-getter Kurt Vialet, and current Senate President Neville James.

“At a time when your local economy is at its most fragile state, the people of St. Croix could really use the extra dollars,” Mr. James said one year ago. “The income gain from the pump, in addition to the job creation from the highly anticipated reopening of the refinery, will help jumpstart consumer confidence and eventually circulate back to businesses through sales and transactions.”

The price is expected to stay below the $2 mark for the foreseeable future, pending no sharp increase in the oil the markets, Mr. Abdallah said.

“We pushed to do this a couple months ago but it didn’t happen because prices fluctuated. But now this is the best we could get it to below $2, and that’s what we’re doing. That’s a .26 cents drop, I mean, it’s a big drop,” Mr. Abdallah said.

Super Tanker owners were expecting a surge in traffic following the price drop, and rightly predicted that their closest competitor, Shuama Gas Station, would drop their price as well. Even so, Mr. Abdallah said they would have been the first to do so and will be remembered as such.

“We’ve been in business for many years. You make some, and this is where you don’t make some. You’re giving back to the community,” he said.

The gas station’s convenience store was also expected to benefit from the flood of customers anticipated at the gas station. And other businesses connected to it, including a tire store now in operation, as well as a wood fire BBQ grill restaurant expected to open during the holidays, according to Mr. Abdallah.

Mr. Abdallah, his father and uncles have operated multiple businesses from since 1984 on this island. They own Royal Furniture in Peter’s Rest, where they are planning some major initiatives.

Mr. Abdallah said their decision to drop the price below $2, while not seeing any profits, will serve as a statement of their willingness to fairly serve the people of St. Croix. “I’m for the people, not against the people,” he said. “I’m a business owner, I have to sustain and make some money. But when I can, I’ll make sure that you guys get savings in return.”

Mr. Abdallah said they’ve owned the gas station for several years but took over in 2009 to operate it themselves, and have been expanding ever since.