That is definitely the case in Ham Lake – where there is finally something to get pumped up about at the pump.
Prices dropped to $2.75 a gallon earlier this week at the BP Amoco located off Minnesota Highway 65 and Constance Street.”Just relieved to get to save a little bit more money,” said Michael Brooks of Waukesha, Wis., who traveled to the Twin Cities recently.
“Just relieved to get to save a little bit more money,” said Michael Brooks of Waukesha, Wis., who traveled to the Twin Cities recently.
Julio Punju runs the BP Amoco, which has some of the cheapest gas in the North Metro. Julio drops gas costs on purpose to try and give back to the community.
“Correct,” Julio said. “I want to because right now the recession and people are hurting pretty bad, I try to sell gas 20, 30 cents profit margin. Corporate they want 80 cents, 90 cents a gallon. I don’t know why they don’t drop.”
Brooks has a job in IT and is on the road often. He was thrilled to see low prices in Ham Lake.
“This is some of the cheapest gas I’ve seen in awhile,” Brooks said. “It’s a little bit cheaper in Wisconsin. It takes about 30 to 40 bucks to fill up my car now. I’m kind of relieved it’s this low.”
By saving at the pump, Brooks can put his cash to better use.
“I can shell out a little bit more money for my family and all that for Christmas presents,” Books said. “Yeah, that’s great.”
UPTICK IN BUSINESS
Thanks to his low prices, Julio is seeing an uptick in business. Cheap gas has a magnetic tug on people looking to save some bucks.
“Yes I am,” Julio said. ” I’m getting twice more than I was eight, nine months ago… They know they go right or left they’re like 30 cents, 40 cents higher than my price.”
According to Julio the high cost of gas is pure corporate greed.
“Guaranteed 100 percent,” he said. “They’re running the market in Minnesota.”
BP Amoco does not dictate what Julio charges. That gives him the freedom to lower prices as much as he wants. There is a chance gas prices could continue to go down.
“It’s a little bit up and down,” Julio said. “At the end of the day there is still a pretty good profit margin. So still we have room to put more lower prices.”
That is definitely welcome news for anyone trying to save some cash.
