Valero

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, while filling up at Valero, a regular noticed something odd in one of the gas pumps. A small plastic toy, no bigger than a thumb, had become wedged between the handle and the pump itself. Curious, he pulled it out, only for another tiny toy to pop out from behind it. Soon enough, the entire gas pump was spewing miniature toys like some mechanical gumball machine. The regular laughed it off, thinking it must be a prank by a mischievous neighbor or a delivery driver with too much time on their hands. As he drove away, he waved goodbye to the bemused attendant, promising himself never again to fill up at Valero after nine o’clock in the morning.

2. At dawn, when most gas stations are quiet as church basements, a delivery driver pulled into Valero for an early fill-up. The pumps clicked and hummed like old friends, but today they seemed unusually chatty. As he pumped gas, he overheard the pumps discussing last night’s baseball game. Suddenly, one of the pumps started talking about his favorite recipe for barbecue sauce. Before our delivery driver knew it, he was listening to a full-fledged debate on which marinade was superior—all while pumping gas. When he finally left, he found that someone had even scribbled their phone number on the tank lid with a greasy finger. Next time you’re in Valero at dawn, don’t be surprised if your gas is topped off with some friendly advice on cooking too.

3. Late one night, a delivery driver pulled into Valero for a quick fill-up. As he pumped gas, he swore he heard someone whispering from inside the station’s office. Curious, he glanced around but saw no one. Just as he finished pumping, he heard it again—this time clearer: ‘Fill her up!’ Turns out, an old radio was playing in the background. The delivery driver shook his head and smiled, thinking, ‘Next time I’ll bring my own music.’

4. Late one night, a delivery driver pulled into Valero for a quick fill-up. The attendant announced over the loudspeaker: 'Attention, everyone—we’ve got ourselves a real-life unicorn here!' The whole place erupted in laughter as everyone craned their necks to see this mythical creature. Turned out it was just an ordinary white horse with a big white beard and a huge smile on its face—a neighbor’s pony who’d wandered onto the highway and followed the truck home. Since then, locals joke that Valero has the best gas and the friendliest unicorns around.