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Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Poland drivers finally get their wish

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People in the community urged the man to open a gas station in the location.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

POLAND — It's the only place in the center of town to get your fill.

Ed Virostek opened Town One Station about a month ago at state Route 170 and Sheridan Road, the site of a former Shell station. For years, village residents looking to fill up had to travel to the township or to Boardman to find a gas station.

"When I bought the property, I didn't know what I was going to do with it," said Virostek, who lives in the township.

He toyed with the idea of removing the underground storage tanks and using the property as a piece of real estate.

Village council members as well as people in the community urged him to consider opening a gas station there, Virostek said.

He checked out the tanks, making sure they were still useable, and decided to make a go of it.

"I've never owned a gas station before or any other type of business," said Virostek, 65, who retired 15 years ago from a job with the U.S. government. "I decided to try it and see how it goes."

Busy site

If a recent afternoon was any indication, it's going pretty well. A steady stream of customers filtered through.

Some came for gas while others opted for pop, water or candy from inside the store. In recent days, Virostek's seen customers filling plastic gas containers to power their lawn mowers.

Others come to chat.

"I have some people who come in every day," Virostek said. "They get about $5 of gas and they stay to talk."

Brenda Tusinac, who lives in the portion of Boardman that's within the Poland school district, likes the convenience.

"It's right in the center of town," she said one day last week when she stopped to fill up. "I just went to the bank, now I'm getting gas and then we're off to the grocery store."

Her son, Austin, 6, handed Virostek money for the gas purchase while brother Eric, 9, watched Mom from the car and Ashlee, 1, napped in her car seat.

Joseph Mazur, village council president, said there's been a need for a gas station in the quaint hamlet for some time.

"There is none," he said of the village prior to the new business. "Everyone has to go up to South Avenue. We thought it would be good to have a gas station there. Having it sit empty was doing no good."

One full-service pump

Requests from people in the community also prompted Virostek to offer one full-service pump among the three at the station. The cost of full service is 20 cents more per gallon than self-serve.

Most of those requesting full-serve are older.

"I had a lot of people whose parents are elderly, and they can't pump their own gas," Virostek said.

One customer complained that she used to drive all the way to Columbiana to get her gas at a full-service station.

Virostek hopes to hire someone to help run the station, which is open Monday through Saturday. Right now, he and his wife, Mary Jane, are sharing the duties.

Town One Station, named to keep with the historic character of the town — a trolley line used to run alongside where the business is — will be closed through Thursday to allow Virostek a vacation.

About half of the station remains vacant, and he's thinking about renting it to a mechanic or to a small business, something that doesn't require much parking.

Virostek buys his gas from the Lyden company, but he remains independent. He didn't like some of the restrictions that accompany being a franchise.

Though superstations with their multiple gas pumps, deli shops and coffee bars have driven some smaller station out of business, Virostek isn't worried. His prices are comparable to theirs.

"I'm the only station in Poland Village, and I'm probably the only station that will ever be in Poland Village," he said.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007