New Ann Arbor gas station to focus on local food - and Dexter Bakery goods
A new convenience store and gas station selling Dexter Bakery goods is slated to open in two weeks on Packard Road in Ann Arbor.
Angela Smith for Ann Arbor.com
Think that's Dexter Bakery moving in to the renovated gas station on Packard Road just west of Platt?
Think again.
“We’ve been flooded with calls about it,” said bakery owner Karen Dudek.
The building - a former Citgo gas station - is being remodeled, and the awning prominently displays "Dexter Bakery" over its main entrance.
But the bakery goods are just a piece of the vision that owner Charles Gallup has for the property.
Gallup explains that the property has been owned by his family for 50 years, when his father acquired the property and built a gas station in the 1950’s.
Most recently, the location was a Citgo gas station. It closed in 2010, when gas prices skyrocketed and sales tanked. The space has been leased out to various managers, and Gallup hopes to find a lesee for the current enterprise, a locally owned gas station with a neighborhood style eatery inside.
Gallup says he has not decided on a name for the business yet, but that he has nine other small gas stations in Southeast Michigan, and is leaning towards the name “Gallup One Stop” which he has used in the Monroe and Ypsilanti areas.
Twenty years ago, he ran a successful group of similarly themed shops, named Pump N Pantry. Gallup sold the businesses to a buyer who renamed them the Hop-In, and then affiliated with Clark.
“When Clark went bankrupt, I reacquired the properties,” said Gallup
Gallup’s new station on Packard will have four new pumps, and will compete with two corner gas stations just east at the corner of Platt and Packard.
His plan is to focus on offering convenient and delicious food items inside a small cafe area within the convenience shop. The shop will have a drive-up outside window to make on-the-go food sales extra convenient.
Gallup has already contracted with Dexter Bakery to provide bakery items for the mornings. He is still considering what vendors to offer for lunch and dinner quick meals, but is looking at pizza and sandwiches.
Dudek believes the neighborhood eatery vision will work.
“We've gotten a lot of calls," she said. "We are happy to be providing our products here.”
Dudek says that Dexter Bakery wholesales to 20 other businesses from Chelsea to Ypsilanti.
“People are really excited about finding our product (in areas outside of Dexter).”
Gallup expects the new business, at 2955 Packard Road, will be ready to open in two weeks.
Comments
Ben
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 4:15 a.m.
I drive by this place every day. I cannot figure out how anyone is going to drive up and use that pickup window. Maybe mail jeeps where the driver sits on the right?
Brad
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:51 p.m.
Buying donuts from Dexter Bakery qualifies as a "focus on local food"? Because I don't see anything else that would support that headline. What - are they going to go to the Kroger on Carpenter to buy their other stuff?
JoeM
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 1:51 a.m.
I sure hope it is still a Citgo gas station. I nearly always buy from Citgo when I have a choice.
P. J. Murphy
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 1:28 a.m.
To quote Homer Simpson "mmmm... Donuts".
nuseph
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:01 a.m.
Time will tell, but there are plenty of good gas stations out there that actually offer decent food. Anyone who has been to a QuikTrip in the Midwest can speak to that. Obviously not the same as a dedicated restaurant, but when you're pressed for time, it can do the job.
jcj
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 11:06 p.m.
Can't be any worse than some of the places around that call themselves restaurants!
jns131
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:53 a.m.
We are giving up restaurants that have inflated their prices. Just too darn expensive to eat out.
Ann English
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 9:40 p.m.
I didn't look too closely at it as I drove by early afternoon. I usually just see the old gas price posting and pay attention to the upcoming traffic signal. When I read the headline, at first I wondered if it was about The Blue Apple gas station. So the underground gas tanks at THIS location were never taken out. Must have been maintained during the past two years. No cleaning up, no testing needed. With other gas stations competing so nearby, they had to be exceptional in some way, and decided on a good one.
golfer
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 9:23 p.m.
i sure hope it is not a Citgo gas station. if so i will not stop and use it. i don't buy from citgo.
Robin1979
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 2:41 a.m.
golferm - There's a Citgo just up the street from there on Platt and Ellsworth so I doubt this location will inherit the same brand. I refuse to use Citgo gas as well... However, I would like to see Shell back in this area!
jns131
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:52 a.m.
Krogers is the only one i buy from now since I noticed a 10 to 20 cent difference in price.
Atticus F.
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 8:55 p.m.
I love a good gas station sandwich. Not!
Marvin Face
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
Eat Here, Get Gas.
jrtluvr1959
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 2:06 p.m.
Haaaa. I remember that t-shirt.
Atticus F.
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 8:17 p.m.
I noticed multiple coolers along the wall. Will they sell beer?
Brad
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 7:36 p.m.
I think it could be a good location. There isn't much around Packard/Platt in the way of sandwiches (sorry Subway).
jns131
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:51 a.m.
When we visited our Subway just recently they told us corporate came in and raised all their prices. Now the footlong is no longer 5 bucks it is 6 and 7 bucks. We walked out. We won't be doing Subway no longer.
brb11
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
From my point of view, that storefront looks pretty deceptive.
A2comments
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 7:23 p.m.
A neighborhood eatery, at a gas station...
jns131
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:49 a.m.
Just don't inhale too deeply you might get a head rush...of sorts.