Gas is $10 a gallon at a Big Sur station. The owner explains why his prices can't go higher
Los Angeles Times • • business
Key Points:
- The owner of Gorda by the Sea, the only gas station within a 12-mile radius in Big Sur, charges $9.99 per gallon because the gas pump software caps prices at $10, not as a strategy to gouge customers.
- The station and surrounding community rely on gasoline-powered generators for electricity, significantly increasing operational costs and contributing to the high fuel price.
- National and state average gas prices are much lower, with California averaging $5.86 and Los Angeles County around $6 per gallon, while nearby stations in Gorda also charge about $6.
- The owner, Leo Flores, faces ongoing challenges including high generator fuel consumption, costly infrastructure upgrades, and dependence on biweekly gas deliveries via Highway 1, which has been prone to long closures due to landslides.
- Flores emphasizes that despite public focus on gas price spikes, the survival of his business and the local community hinges on reliable highway access and fuel supply, which have been severely impacted in recent years.
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