Oklahoma Citgo Gas Station Owners Say Sales Dropped After Venezuelan President's "Devil" Speech

Associated Press ^ | 11/4/2006 | AP -

[george76]

Some gasoline station owners in Oklahoma are dropping the Venezuelan state owned Citgo brand, saying sales have dropped significantly since the VenezuelanPresident Hugo Chavez criticized President George W. Bush in a speech last month.

The president of Tulsa based Arkansas Valley, a wholesale distributor which delivers Citgo gas to about 30 stations in Oklahoma and Missouri, said sales fell 10 percent to 15 percent after Chavez's United Nations speech in which he referred to Bush as “the devil.”

“We started losing business at our stores,” company president Weister Smith told the Tulsa World newspaper. “Some of our independent retailers came to us and asked us to make a change away from Citgo. Some of them actually covered up their Citgo signs.”

Citgo Petroleum Corp., which sells gas through 13,700 Citgo stations in the U.S., said in July it planned to stop supplying fuel to 1,900 Citgo branded stations in 10 states, including those in Oklahoma, by March.

However, some independent retailers want their suppliers to speed up the transition to another brand, fearing motorists will decide to fill up elsewhere.

Duff Thompson, president of Fiesta Mart, said rumors of a boycott of Citgo stations began spreading after the speech, prompting the company to speed up plans to re-brand eight of the company's Tulsa stores that have sold gas under the Citgo name.

“We have some stores showing declines,” Thompson said. “But I wouldn't attribute it all to the Chavez situation.”

Vance McSpadden, executive director of the Oklahoma Petroleum Association, said he understands the frustration some consumers feel toward Citgo.

But he cautioned that any boycott of Citgo wouldn't hurt Chavez because Citgo doesn't own any of the 13,700 U.S. outlets.

“It's not Citgo they're getting back at,” McSpadden said. “It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing.”

Shortly after Chavez's speech, Dallas based 7-11 Inc. said it was dropping Citgo as a supplier and that Chavez's comments factored into its decision. Citgo denied 7-11’s claim, saying the retailer had plans to switch suppliers before the speech.

[george76]

[Dallas59]

Citgo Petroleum Corp., which sells gas through 13,700 Citgo stations in the U.S

“It's not Citgo they're getting back at,” McSpadden said. “It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing.”

?????????????

[ARealMothersSonForever]

“It's not Citgo they're getting back at,” McSpadden said. “It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing.”

Correct. And as long as that independent businessman has a Citgo sign, or purchases Citgo products for re-sale, he is gonna get hammered. I hear that Valero is looking for distributors.....

[technomage]

said sales fell 10 percent to 15 percent after Chavez's United Nations speech

Proof that even a small drop in sales can have a dramatic impact.

[george76]

[proud_yank]

PING – Hugo is at it again!

Please FReepmail me if you would like on/off the Hugo/Venezuela Ping list.

HugoPing Archive

[proud_yank]

LOL! That is too funny.

[meyer]

Those owners should consider changing brands.

[meyer]

I guess I should read the whole article - they are looking for another brand.

[george76]

Not changing brands will cost the independent station owners a bunch of money.

[clearlight]

I would imagine, on the other hand, Citgo sales in blue states might have actually increased...

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

“It's not Citgo they're getting back at,” McSpadden said. “It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing.”

---

Independent Businessmen/women need to consider the character of a vendor. Conscienceless profiteers don't care who they do business with as long as they make a buck. The amoral laissez-faire Libertarian types who casually buy from anti-American sources increasingly risk such consumer backlash as this.

[paudio]

“It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing.”

But Citgo is not a monopolist. These businessmen can go somewhere else if their consumers are telling them to do so (by buying somewhere else).

[jimfree]

I never spent much at Citgo. Now I spend zero.

[NRA2BFree]

“We started losing business at our stores,” company president Weister Smith told the Tulsa World newspaper. “Some of our independent retailers came to us and asked us to make a change away from Citgo. Some of them actually covered up their Citgo signs.”

Welcome to the power of the Internet.

[Kev from Ohio]

Seriously, should we feel sorry for the owner who is selling communist oil? I dont, and it makes me more mad if they were Republicans, they should make their money elsewhere.

For 2 or 3 years I have told people about the connection. I try to avoid Citgo at all costs, but do buy store items (pop, chips, candy, seeds), and 1 of 10 gas stops I find I may use them, but around here, NE Ohio, there is another suppiler for some Citgo stations, can't remember the name.

[DeFault User]

I have noticed a number of Citgo stations in the Carolinas now have a "Petro Express" sign. I'm not so sure it isn't Citgo gas anyway, but they've been hit hard enough to drop the Citgo brand.

[george76]

Smart owners...

" Some of them actually covered up their Citgo signs.”

[Kev from Ohio]

Way to go Ohio — BellStore gas stations drop Citgo By Mick Gregory – Marathon gasoline will be sold at Ohio’s BellStore gas stations and convenience stores in Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. Campbell Oil Co., (the fuel distributor) which owns the BellStores, reached an agreement with Marathon, ending its partnership with Citgo Petroleum Corp. (100 percent owned by PDVSA). Rest of Article