Amherst gas station saved after owner refuses to raise prices: 'I didnt want to be part of their scheme to get rich'

Weeks after members of the Amherst and greater Pioneer Valley community rallied together and launched a fundraiser to save Rens Sales and Service, a beloved community gas station thats been fueling and servicing cars in the region for the past 50 years, owners of the gas station announced theyve hit their $65,000 goal to prevent being foreclosed.

Were so thankful for the generosity of the over 700 folks in Pioneer Valley and from across the state, Jeff Gladu said, son of the gas station owner Reynold Ren Gladu.

Rens Sales and Service, formerly Rens Mobil, has provided gas and car repair services in Amherst since 1973. Over the course of five decades, Rens Motors has developed into a community mainstay and the gas station owner is recognized for his generous spirit. Jeff Gladu said his father has repaired cars for free, given away gas on numerous occasions and sold affordable used cars.

The gas station owners informed their regular customers in late August that Rens was on the verge of foreclosure after the station broke its contract with a Mobil gas distributor over the summer in protest of gas price spikes and in support of customers.

Ren Gladu shut down all of his gas pumps in June when his Mobil fuel distributor demanded he raise his prices upwards of $5 per gallon.

I didnt want to be part of their scheme to get rich, the 81-year-old gas station owner said. I told them it was foolish you cannot do this to the public without causing poverty.

He said hed much rather see his customers buy groceries and put food on the table for their children than waste money on overpriced gas.

Rens Sales and Service would later switch its fuel supplier from Mobil to Gulf in July, to provide its customers with a cheaper alternative.

Jeff Gladu said his familys gas station essentially terminated its contract with a gas wholesale distributor based in Boston, in the process of protesting against the gas spikes. Rens also had to switch to a cash-only payment option, since its credit card system was connected to Mobil. Jeff Gladu said the switch to cash-only has greatly impacted gas sales.

Ren's Sales and Service gas pumps have been converted to cash-only machines, since the station's split with Mobil.

Rens established a contract with a Mobil gas distributor in 2007 that upgraded its pumps at the time, according to Jeff Gladu. As a result of breaking the contract, the fuel supplier required the station to pay off the remaining debt thats owed, Jeff Gladu said, adding that if the amount wasnt paid by Sept. 15, his fathers business wouldve been auctioned off.

Nancy dePosse and other Amherst residents caught wind of the gas stations financial woes and asked Ren Gladu if they could launch a GoFundMe page to help prevent the station from being foreclosed.

Ren Gladu, who his son says isnt someone who typically asks for help or accepts handouts, ultimately gave consent to concerned community members.

We had several people bring donations directly to us, outside of the GoFundMe, Jeff Gladu said. The in-person donations Rens received allowed the fundraiser organizers to reduce its goal from $125,000 to $65,000.

After weeks of fundraising, Rens hit its $65,000 goal on Tuesday to pay off its debt. Rens Sales and Service will continue servicing the greater Pioneer Valley community.

Jeff Gladu said they plan to get the stations credit card machine back up and running within the next week, a payment method thats essential for Rens college customers who just came back to campus.

None of this would have been possible without the support from the people in our community, Jeff Gladu said.

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