Valero

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, while filling up at Valero, a regular noticed something strange—every time he pumped gas, the radio played the same song over and over again, no matter what station he selected. Finally, our regular asked the clerk if anyone else had heard that looped tune. The clerk shrugged and said, 'Oh yeah, it's been playing for weeks now. Everyone calls it “the Valero worm.”'

2. While pumping gas one afternoon, a regular at Valero found an unusual item in the parking lot—a tiny, perfectly formed sandcastle. No beach was nearby, but there it stood, complete with little flags and seashell decorations. Curious, he investigated further and discovered another miniature castle across the lot—this time, made of ice cubes. Turned out, a delivery driver had accidentally left his cooler open during a hot day, and neighbors, amused by the sight, helped him build more. Soon enough, Valero became known for its seasonal ‘parking lot palaces,’ attracting drivers from miles around.

3. While pumping gas one day, a delivery driver glanced at the reflection on the pump and swore he saw someone waving from inside the station. Curious, he looked around but saw no one. Just as he turned back to the pump, he heard a voice from behind saying, ‘Hey, thanks for almost filling my tank!’ It was just an old neighbor who’d parked his car in the shadowy corner of the lot.

4. While pumping gas one evening, a little girl pointed excitedly at the Valero sign and whispered, ‘Daddy, look! It’s talking to us!’ The father smiled and said gently, ‘Honey, it’s just a sign, like our old tree outside that waves in the wind.’ The little girl nodded thoughtfully, then added with a giggle, ‘But Daddy, I still think it winked at us!’ They both laughed as they drove off, leaving behind only the gentle hum of the engine and the occasional whispering sign.