Andrew Turner/The Smithville Herald Wally Panatoli Hawari stands behind the counter of his new convenience store on the south side of Smithville on U.S. Highway 169 at Amory Road.
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New Conoco station opens
Station sat vacant for more than a year; second Smithville store for owner
By Andrew Turner
The Conoco gas station on the south side of Smithville sat vacant for more than a year. Newly reopened, the location offers fuel and convenience items — and a familiar face.
Wally Panatoli Hawari has taken over the operation and instituted the same friendly service his customers have grown to expect at his other Smithville convenience mart, the Snappy Store on south Commercial Street.
“We’re not just a convenience store, we’re a convenience store plus,” he said. “Whatever you want, we have. If there’s something else you want, we’ll get it for you.”
Hawari said the location was the only one in the area to sell ethanol-based fuel.
“We’re the only place in town where you can get the E85 ethanol,” said Hawari. “The price of oil is getting out of sight. Right now the E85 is 45 cents cheaper than regular, and it’s made right here in Missouri”
According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, E85 is the term for motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol — which is made from corn — and just 15 percent gasoline. It is defined as an alternative fuel by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Even the regular gasoline is less expensive than at other area stations.
“We set our price at $2.85 a gallon, QuikTrip was $2.89, so they had to follow us,” Hawari said last week. “The next day they lowered their prices.”
He said the word was slowly getting out that the establishment was once again doing business.
“A lot of people still don’t know we’re open,” he said. “The place was closed for 14 months.”
Hawari wants people living close by to recognize it as their store.
“You have to be customer oriented,” he said. “This is a neighborhood convenience store. We don’t want to make a killing; we just want to make a living. We put a lot of money into this place to make it work, not just for us, but for them.”
Melissa Wendt works at the In-A-Tub restaurant adjoining the mini-mart. She said she was glad the store was open again.
“It brings in more business,” she said. “This is the third or fourth time it’s been open.”
Smithville writer Andrew Turner can be reached at 532-4444 or andrewturner@npgco.com.
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Wally Panatoli Hawari has taken over the operation and instituted the same friendly service his customers have grown to expect at his other Smithville convenience mart, the Snappy Store on south Commercial Street.
“We’re not just a convenience store, we’re a convenience store plus,” he said. “Whatever you want, we have. If there’s something else you want, we’ll get it for you.”
Hawari said the location was the only one in the area to sell ethanol-based fuel.
“We’re the only place in town where you can get the E85 ethanol,” said Hawari. “The price of oil is getting out of sight. Right now the E85 is 45 cents cheaper than regular, and it’s made right here in Missouri”
According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, E85 is the term for motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol — which is made from corn — and just 15 percent gasoline. It is defined as an alternative fuel by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Even the regular gasoline is less expensive than at other area stations.
“We set our price at $2.85 a gallon, QuikTrip was $2.89, so they had to follow us,” Hawari said last week. “The next day they lowered their prices.”
He said the word was slowly getting out that the establishment was once again doing business.
“A lot of people still don’t know we’re open,” he said. “The place was closed for 14 months.”
Hawari wants people living close by to recognize it as their store.
“You have to be customer oriented,” he said. “This is a neighborhood convenience store. We don’t want to make a killing; we just want to make a living. We put a lot of money into this place to make it work, not just for us, but for them.”
Melissa Wendt works at the In-A-Tub restaurant adjoining the mini-mart. She said she was glad the store was open again.
“It brings in more business,” she said. “This is the third or fourth time it’s been open.”
Smithville writer Andrew Turner can be reached at 532-4444 or andrewturner@npgco.com.