Escondido Councilman Sam Abed, right, receives words of support from Escondido resident Janet Nye who went out of her way to purchase gasoline from his station Friday, after opponents of an ordinance banning landlords from renting to illegal immigrants promised a boycott of Abed's business.
Escondido Councilman and gas station owner Sam Abed has posted notes of encouragement that he received from customers that stopped by his gas station Friday
Abed reported getting long lines of customers in front of the eight pumps at his Mobil station on the northeast corner of East Valley Parkway and Midway Drive on Friday morning. Combined with higher-than-usual business activity the day before, the heavy patronage has caused the station's business to spike upward, he said.
"If it keeps up, we're going to run out of gas," said Abed. "We normally sell about $5,000 a day. We have three shifts. And we did $6,000 (worth of sales) today in the first shift. So we'll probably have $11,000 to $12,000 (worth of) sales today. That's about 225 percent up."
The upswing followed picketing that began at the gas station Thursday. The protest was organized by people opposed to a new ordinance that would prohibit landlords from renting to illegal immigrants.
A City Council majority approved the ordinance Wednesday night after listening to more than two hours of comments from people on both sides of the controversial issue.
The fact that Abed cast one of the three "yes" votes for the ordinance led its opponents to target his business. Those organizing the protest have said they plan to continue the effort until Oct. 18, when a final vote on the ordinance is scheduled.
A visit to the councilman's station around 11 a.m. Friday found no pickets in sight and just a handful of cars in front of the business's pumps, where regular unleaded gasoline was priced at $2.55 a gallon. Special unleaded was going for $2.79 a gallon, and super unleaded cost $2.89 a gallon.
Several of those busy filling up their tanks said they sought Abed's business out, in a show of support for the councilman and to counter the protest.
"I normally don't shop here; I normally shop downtown," said customer and Escondido resident Franz Tewksbury. "I'm very much against illegals," said Tewksbury. "Illegals ---- not immigrants. If they're legal, that's fine. And if (people) are going to protest, then I'm going to protest the illegals."
Inside the station, more than two dozen handwritten notes were taped up around a cashier station. The messages included "thank you's" and encouraging words for Abed and some writers indicated they had gone well out of their way to patronize the councilman's station.
"We drove from El Cajon to support you," said a note signed by Pat Deckow and Barbara Channell. "Go Sam!"
Abed said the notes were a sampling of the upswing in business, which he said also brought customers from Temecula, Ramona, Encinitas and other communities that are a long drive from Escondido.
The increased activity level first became noticeable after he was a guest on Roger Hedgecock's KOGO-AM 600 talk radio show Thursday, the councilman said.
While he was on the program, Abed said, people phoned in to offer him their encouragement, urge listeners to support his business and provide its address. The Hedgecock show's associate producer, Megan Macarena, confirmed that Friday.
Abed said the response demonstrates that the controversial ordinance is striking a major chord with the general public.
"It's not about how much business we've got," he said about his gas station. "It's about how deep the problem of illegal aliens (is). And the silent majority are really feeling strongly about the illegal immigrants in our county and our nation. I had one person who disagreed with me this morning. But I had about 300 people who told me they support me."
While he talked, customers headed to the cashier's window kept stopping to interrupt and introduce themselves to the councilman. They included Ramona resident Leonard Lacaze, who told Abed he was "a true American."
"I didn't need any gas," Lacaze said. "I just wanted to show my support."
Wayne Rock said he, too, drove across town to buy gas at the councilman's gas station.
"Are you Sam?" Rock said to Abed. "I wanted to thank you for doing the right thing."
At about 5:30 p.m., five protesters blocked a sidewalk and began throwing cups at passing cars near the gas station, but when police responded to the scene, the protesters had already left, Lt. Mark Wrisley of the Escondido Police Department said. According to witnesses, the five individuals weren't affiliated with the main group of demonstrators leading the boycott, he said.
No cars were reported damaged by the cups, and no arrests were made, Wrisley said.
Contact staff writer Andrea Moss at (760) 739-6654 or amoss@nctimes.com.