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How To Open A Gas Station/Convenience Store

By

Lisa Tolman







ENG-101, College Composition

April 15, 2011

John Goldfine






Introduction:


I chose the topic of how to open a gas station/convenience store because my husband and

I own a piece of property in our small country town that is situated at the only intersection

in town. We have thought about starting a commercial business with this property and

the thought of opening a gas station/store has come to mind a few times over the past few

years. I thought that it would be fitting for me to research what is involved with starting a

gas station/convenience store in my local community.



Purpose:

There is something reassuring to travelers when they stop at a friendly convenience

store/gas station--whether it be to ask for directions or grab a snack.. It’s an opportunity

for locals to grab last minute items that they forgot when they left Hannaford--and a gas

pump for those wishing to get out of town in a hurry or for those who are passing through

town while venturing their way onto something bigger and better.



My town used to be prosperous when I was young. We had Forster Manufacturing; a

Mill that employed over two hundred people and ran three shifts. We had three general

stores and one gas station. The Mill shut down twenty years ago, we are currently down

to one small store and CN Brown gas station is currently up for sale. The price tag on

the store is too high, the store is filthy and sits too close to the main road and it needs a lot

of renovations--so due to the dire condition of this building it would not be profitable to

purchase this existing gas station.








I’m proud of my town--remembering when it was once prosperous and acutely aware that

it needs revitalization. We have not had any new businesses come to town for over

twenty years. It currently serves as a place to drive through while on your way to bigger

places. The purpose of the store/gas station is to offer convenience, to bring something

fresh back to our town, yet while making a profit during these tough economic times.



The issues that need to be researched before my husband fires up his D3 bulldozer are:


Is the property zoned for commercial use?--need to speak to the Planning Board
Is the lot big enough to accommodate for the gas station/parking/gas pumps
Contact Department of Environmental Protection to see is there are property line setbacks, neighboring wells, neighboring drinking water, septic tank placement, and if there are any rules against using our property commercially while located close to the river.
Gas pumps that accommodate credit/debit card system 24 hours a day.
ITS 81 snowsled trail/ATV trail having accessibility to the property
State of Maine website to get employer tax ID application…what other applications/permits do I need in terms of business licenses?
IRS website to download tax booklets for payroll
Accountant
Vendors: need vendor for foods, canned goods, soda, beer
Equipment: shelving, coolers, coffee machines, pizza oven, lunch counter


Baseline Data:

I know that running a business is a lot of work and that in order to run a business the owner needs to put a lot of time and effort into the business.

I know that there are rules to follow when installing underground gas tanks and that there are property boundaries advising how close you can be to neighboring water supplies--but I don’t know what the guidelines are. I do believe that the D.E.P. can advise me on this issue.

There used to be a former Video store and Take Out on the property that we currently own . I’m sure that the former owners were able to get permits to serve food; so I’m not worried about this portion of the business. The building that is currently on the property where the Take Out was is in shambles; so my plan would be to level this building and build from the ground up. I am also assuming that this property is zoned for commercial use if a former business was operating at this location.

ITS81 snowmobile trail currently runs across our property. I know that the closest place for sledders to get gas/snacks would be at the gas station that is located at the other end of town; however, you have to leave ITS81 and sled about three miles to get to CN Brown to get gas. Our station would be better accessible for a great number of sledders that go through our town in wintertime. The closest gas station for sledders heading north on ITS81 would be either in Medway which is fifteen miles from my store.

I know how to apply for a Tax ID number, how to do payroll, and how to do 941 Federal and State quarterly payroll records. However, am smart enough to recognize that we would need an accountant to perform year end duties such as W2’s and year end taxes.


Methodology:


The vast majority of my research was done via the internet. I have had experience using

the State of Maine.gov and the IRS.gov website for information regarding how to obtain

a business taxpayer identification number; as well as information regarding how to start a

business and to download the appropriate tax forms for payroll records.



My husband is a contractor as well as one of the selectmen for our town. Therefore, he

gave me advice on contacting our Planning Board to see about zoning for our property.



I also used the internet to find contact information for the Department of Environmental

Protection for the State of Maine as a resource for gas tank rules; as well as legality of

having gas tanks placed by neighboring wells and major river.



COLLECTED DATA:





Collected Data:

Zoning: I did speak to our Planning Board and found out that our property was zoned for

commercial use back when the former Take Out/Billeen’s Video Store was operating

from this location. I also found out through the Small Business Association SBA.gov

website that I would need to contact our local Planning Board to apply for a building

permit, business license, and alarm permit.



Lot size: I researched this issue via internet and found a helpful website entitled

lawyers.com which instructed for me to consult with my local Planning/Zoning board to

see if the size of my property is big enough to accommodate a gas station/store/parking

space--and if there are property line setbacks.



Neighboring Wells/River: As stated earlier, my husband is an earthwork contractor and

advised me that the Department of Environmental Protection can provide me with the

answers as to whether or not our property is located too close to the River or to

neighboring wells. I located their website and found contact name and phone number for

an agent located in Bangor.



Gas Pumps:

Independent operators can choose whichever gas company that they want to go with

whether it be Dysarts, Shell, Sunoco, etc. 4