Gas Is $10 A Gallon At A Big Sur Station. The Owner Explains Why His Prices Can't Go Higher

The proprietor of Gorda by nan Sea, nan lone state position for respective miles successful immoderate guidance from this remote, scenic hamlet successful Big Sur, is charging $9.99 for a gallon of state because, well, that’s arsenic precocious arsenic nan integer numbers connected nan state pumps allow.

“The package only goes to $10,” said Leo Flores, proprietor of nan state position and mini-market. “I know, sometimes personification wants to make a bully communicative because of it, but we person to show you why.”

As nan lone state position for astatine slightest 12 miles on Highway 1, nan work position often prompts drivers to gasp aliases clutch their wallets astatine nan show of a $9.99 value tag for a gallon, but Flores insists he’s not trying to price-gouge his customers. In fact, he’s worried that if state prices spell overmuch higher, it mightiness put him retired of business.

“People deliberation you make money, but I’m not,” he said successful an question and reply pinch The Times.

Motorists crossed nan state person been griping since gasoline prices began to surge past period aft nan commencement of nan U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran, which restricted nan travel of lipid from cardinal oil-producing countries. Flores’ business is an illustration of really sky-rocketing substance prices are having ripple effects passim nan economy.

The isolated state position has been featured successful nan news successful nan past for its precocious prices, but Flores, who has owned nan position for nan past 30 years, said there’s a elemental logic why nan costs is truthful high.

“We tally this spot connected generators,” he said. “The generators tally connected 5 to six gallons of gasoline each hour.”

It’s not conscionable nan state position that runs connected generators, he said. The mini oceanside organization surrounding nan state position — nan mini-market, nan cafe, nan edifice and adjacent cabins — is owned by Flores and runs connected generators because location is nary entree to an extracurricular electrical plant.

“When I explicate why to people, they’re happy to salary what I inquire them,” Flores said. “It costs maine much to make my ain electricity.”

According to AAA, arsenic of Friday nan nationalist mean costs of a gallon of regular state is up to $4.09, and successful California it’s $5.86. In Los Angeles County it’s moreover higher — astir $6 a gallon. At state stations astir Gorda by nan Sea, nan mean costs besides sits astatine $6, according to AAA.

Flores said he has considered utilizing star panels to make electricity, but nan first costs is high. To raise his state prices immoderate higher, he’d person to bargain caller pumps, an finance he’s not judge he could spend now.

High prices are not his only worry. The full hamlet tin run only if Flores’ regular gasoline deliveries make it done connected Highway 1 each 2 weeks.

When nan road unopen down for three years because of landslides starting successful 2023, he said, he struggled to get state deliveries to tally his generators and survived connected only 10% to 20% of nan business he usually sees. He hardly made it, he said, until nan road reopening successful January.

“It’s a large deal,” he said. “If nan road is closed successful some directions, I’m screwed.”

Flores complained that nary 1 pays attraction to his struggles erstwhile Highway 1 closes, but it’s different communicative erstwhile state prices spike.

“Why erstwhile nan road opens and I raise nan value everyone points astatine maine for illustration I’m nan bad guy?”