Detroit Free Press: BP gas station owners switching brands as customers boycott

[marmar]

BP gas station owners switching brands as customers boycott

BY KATHERINE YUNG
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER


The BP oil spill is hitting close to home for dozens of metro Detroit BP station owners, with many trying to switch brands as angry consumers boycott their businesses.

Abdel Berry, owner of three BP stations, has already converted his Ypsilanti and Detroit stores to the Sunoco brand. "It's either change or go out of business," said the retail gasoline veteran.

At his Ypsilanti location, which faces fierce competition from a Marathon station next door, gasoline sales are down from 500 gallons to 800 gallons a day. Berry hopes that the changeover to Sunoco will bring business back to normal.

"It looks kind of funky now," he said of the makeshift Sunoco sign covering the BP logo.

Berry is one of the lucky ones. At two of his stations, he's not locked into a contract that prevents him from switching brands, though it will cost him $45,000 to $50,000 to install the yellow, blue and red Sunoco signs. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20100707/BUSINESS06/7070307/

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. Will they stop being poor downtrodden small businessmen now?

Now that they cowardly abandoned poor, oppressed, picked-on BP? Hm?

BUY AT THOSE GUYS!!!!!

[femrap]

2. I would have done that

77 days ago.