WALBRIDGE – The Wood County Commissioners and Lake Township Trustees have thrown their support behind a
village store in danger of losing its gas pumps.
The Walbridge 7-Eleven was told last month by its corporate office that the gas tanks are old and must be
taken out; the cost to replace them is $400,000. Franchisee Gail Robinette fears without the gas sales,
the convenience store will lose too much business and have to close.
"You know that is kind of a hub for the village. … Everyone goes to 7-Eleven," said Trustee
Chairwoman Melanie Bowen at Tuesday’s meeting. "It would be detrimental to the community to lose
it."
The trustees read a resolution from the commissioners asking the 7-Eleven corporate office to re-evaulate
their decision and meet with Robinette.
The commissioners passed the resolution on Tuesday.
The trustees also approved their own resolution asking corporate to reconsider its initial decision and
continue gasoline operations at the Walbridge store.
The resolution also asks that 7-Eleven representatives mediate a long-term agreement with Robinette to
continue operations.
Mike Doyle, who is Robinette’s son-in-law, said they are still trying to set up a "clarification
date" with 7-Eleven corporate. They were told a couple weeks ago that the gas pumps would be shut
down around Labor Day.
The topic wasn’t brought up at Wednesday’s Walbridge Council meeting, but Acting Mayor Maureen Jacobsen
said it has been a big topic of discussion in the village.
"It will be a very, very sad thing, for this to happen," she said after the council meeting.
"It leaves me kind of speechless because I wish there was something more I could do."
Robinette, who has had the franchise since November 2002, said if the 7-Eleven can’t sell gas, she’ll
have to let one employee go. The store has eight employees.
The store sells about 40,000 gallons of gas a year and has $1.2 million annually in sales revenue.