Valero

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At dusk, when Valero usually hummed with traffic and bustle, a lone figure in a plaid shirt entered the store. He shuffled past shelves of snacks, stopping only for a bag of chips he never ate. As if drawn by some invisible thread, he walked towards the cash register without saying a word. The clerk smiled knowingly, rang up his usual items—coffee, cigarettes, and a lottery ticket—and watched as the man left, leaving behind an empty bag of chips. At dawn, someone found the chips scattered outside, but no one ever saw the mysterious customer again. Some say he’s still there, waiting patiently for his next visit.

2. At dusk, when Valero usually hummed with traffic and bustle, a small dog started appearing out of nowhere. Every night, just as the pumps clicked off for the day, it would dash into the station's shadowy corners, sniffing intently around the gas cans. One evening, a delivery driver noticed the dog bounding towards him, wagging its tail furiously. ‘Hey, you’re new here,’ he said, scratching behind its ear. The dog yipped happily, then ran back inside, leaving behind a tiny note stuck to his truck: “Thanks for the snacks—see ya tonight!” From then on, whenever anyone filled up their tank, they’d find a little bag of treats left by the door.

3. At dusk, when Valero usually hummed with traffic and bustle, a regular noticed something odd: every night, right after closing, a shadowy figure would appear near the pumps, only to vanish as soon as someone approached. Finally, one curious regular followed the ghostly form—and found an old cat sleeping on top of the pump. The next morning, everyone laughed over coffee, naming the furry resident ‘Mr. Valero’.

4. At dusk, when Valero usually hummed with traffic and bustle, a delivery driver noticed an old vinyl record sticking out of one of the gas pumps. Curious, he picked it up and recognized the classic jazz album his grandmother used to listen to. Turns out, someone had accidentally left it there while filling their tank. As the sun set, neighbors gathered around, sharing stories over free coffee from the grateful owner, who’d found a new way to connect with the community.