Arabs and Gas Stations

[ruckstande]

Okay I'm completely ignorant on this issue(if it even is an issue) but I want a rational explanation on why Arabs are running all of the gas stations and liquor stores now adays. Now I can see why they buy liquor stores. Liquor stores generate big bucks hence the reason for owning it. However, why do they go about buying all of the gas stations and running them? I hear that foreigners are able to easily buy businesses because of special treatments to foreigners in getting loans. I have no idea if this is true, but is it that substatial that they can purchase a franchise? Also, why gas stations? From what I understand, gas stations themselves don't make much money. What makes money is the service stations attached to them which no longer exists since they took them over. Why would you buy a business that costs at least $400,000(I have no idea how much) and barely makes much a profit by itself? I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all but this is one issue that bugs me all the time. If it is such a good idea to buy a gas station, how come native born Americans aren't cashing in on this golden opportunity that apparently the Arabs have been in on for quite a while?

[billsfanone]

The same reason Greeks own all the diners. And the Koreans own the dry cleaners.

[Wrecktum]

Because They can get loans easyer and gas sations make Vast Amounts of money or else they wouldnt own them

[ShooterMcGavin]

Mexicans run the liquor stores over here.

Which is great because they sell to minors.

Wink wink nudge nudge.

[wetandstickyjim]

I know what ya mean and I don't know. You see these older Arab dudes pumping gas for a living. How much can they make unless they're an owner? One place near me has like six guys. All older Arabs and have been there for years.
One thing tho, cash business.

[amaroq]

You can be in the middle of hicksville and still find these stores owned
by arabs.

[ruckstande]

I know what ya mean and I don't know. You see these older Arab dudes pumping gas for a living. How much can they make unless they're an owner? One place near me has like six guys. All older Arabs and have been there for years.
One thing tho, cash business.
Good point about cash business. I'm still not convinced you can make oodles selling gas though. Are they really making that much more than if they worked for someone else?

[Glenn Dandy]

Because Americans are to lazy to go buy them.

[Bill]

Because Americans are to lazy to go buy them.

That's probably the best answer of all, so far.

Running a gas station, convenience store, tobacco shops, etc... requires that the owner (or the owner's family) works their asses off. There is money in these businesses. But not huge money. If you start hiring lots of employees, rather than doing the work yourself, you're not going to make any money. But if you do the work yourself, you can make a good living for your family. The down side is that you really can't enjoy that money because you spend all of your time working.

One thing that successful immigrants from many countries do is to help new immigrants from their own country out financially when they come here. So Pakistani A comes to the US and gets a loan from someone who is already here and buys a gas station. After paying that loan back, Pakistani A starts making money for himself. When Pakistani B shows up in the US, Pakistani A, then loans money to Pakistani B to help him get ahead.

This has been done in most ethnic communities in the US for years. The two ethnic communities that are the biggest exception to this rule are the Hispanic and Black communities. For whatever reason, it seems like, when a Black or Hispanic business owner does well for himself, rather than attempt to help someone else from their community to do better for themself, the successful Black or Hispanic business owners tend to abandon their community.

I'm not saying that this is always the case. But while successful Asian, Arab, Russia, etc... businessmen attempting to help other Asians, Arabs, Russians, etc... seems to be the norm, successful Hispanic or Black businessmen attempting to help other aspiring Hispanic or Black businessmen seems to be more of an exception.

[novalia]

bill nailed it.. these people are willing to work.. disrespect them as much as you want but i sure as hell respect them.. it is not an easy life but they are doing their best.

[Sinn Fein]

Part of it is they are actually willing to LIVE at the station. I've seen it many times.

[abudabit]

Indians not Arabs run them on the west coast, Mexicans here in Texas (although there are some Indians). Good for them, glad someone is willing to take that shit job.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

When they get the signal, it's sleeper cell go time.

You've been warned.

[Voss's Tumor]

I hear that foreigners are able to easily buy businesses because of special treatments to foreigners in getting loans. I have no idea if this is true, but is it that substatial that they can purchase a franchise?

As a loan officer for a major bank, I can tell you this is absolutely not true.

Good point about cash business. I'm still not convinced you can make oodles selling gas though. Are they really making that much more than if they worked for someone else?

It depends on the location and the person running the shop. I know gas stations that do maybe 4k a month in profit, and a few that do 50k+ a month from one location. One in particular I did the financials for a year or two ago was pushing 300k a month in total volume in credit cards alone. Granted, it was more of a local route truck stop that just a gas station, but that's some serious scratch.

[novalia]

When they get the signal, it's sleeper cell go time.

You've been warned.

that's why i always say please and thank you and smile..
you never know =)

[Gilligan]

An Indian (East Indian Sihk, not Native American) buddy of mine (I grew up in the same apartment building in Queens that he did) went to college for engineering, found he couldn't get a job and then went into business with his brother on a gas station/convenience store. All of his friends, myself included thought he was nuts, move from NY to Mississipi to open a gas station/Kwiki Mart? Nuts!!!

Now mind you, this guy grew up with and around white people, he married a white chick, has white sensibilities and tastes, even makes fun of other Indians with their turbans and whatnot, but he ended up a convenience store worker/owner because it made him good money and supported him and his family well, plus he is is own boss and has made enough to open a second store by himself without his brother while they hired people to run the first store.

Who'd they hire? Other Indians cuz no whites, blacks or hispanics wanted the jobs. They offered the employees stakes in the store so they would be working for themselves and those guys are on their way to opening other stores/stations.

He called me up last week with the news that he's got 2 new cars and has his mortgage halfway paid off (in just 5 years on a 30 year). Of course, he hasn't taken a vacation in 5 years, works 6 days a week for 12 hours a day and his wife takes over for day 7. A grueling schedule, but he says that all he has to do is open one more store and he can retire and rake in the profit form all 3 stores without working at them. He estimates 5 - 6 more years. He'll be 37.

I think I might open me a Kwiki mart someday.

[THE FEZ MAN]

work ethic is differnt in there community, basicly white kids are lazy. i went thew 5 helpers in 3 years when i was running my old shop. no one wants to work for a liveing, every one just wants hand outs or get paid to just show up. it drives me crazy. i always wanted to hire a few retards or mexicans but every one that i worked for were such closed minded biggots they wouldnt., (im the retard apparently)

[dodisman]

They would make NO money if they didn't work there themselves...now even if they make good cash, do you really want to spend 60-80 hours in a fucking convenience store behind the counter...i think a lot of people would rather make less and work less hours and not deal with the hassle of a behind the counter gig

[Gilligan]

Well, in NY that might be true makeing no money unless you worked there yourself, but when you factor in cost of housing in Miss. vs. NY for selling similar priced goods, plus cheaper insurance, plus renting out the back room of the store to your employees to live in, you don't necessarily have to work there to get something out of it. As evidenced by the 1/2 share of profits from the first store my pal opened.

[generoso]

I also belive it is the upbringing and the commuinty. If you grow up qround gas stations and convenice stores. As with the Hasdic Jewish pop and the eletronic and jewerly stores. Also working in the production machinery the Phiilphence luv the running and making soap related products. The chinesse and Japanese work mostly in the generic med business. And so on...

I still remember one job site that made Nitro heart pills. I could not go fix the machine untill all the ladies were out of that room. Totall seperation male female work areas and lunch rooms. Was like a Sitcom with a wall right down the middle.

[Bill]

As evidenced by the 1/2 share of profits from the first store my pal opened.

Yes. But I guarantee that the first store is now paid off. That's a big difference.

I'd be willing to bet that, while your friend and his brother were paying off the cost of the first store, it was necessary for them to work at the store. Now that the mortgage on the store is paid off, your friend can hire workers and pay them with the money that had been used to pay the mortgage while still keeping his salary, without having to be at the store.

That will likely be the process with his new store and the one after that. I have a lot of admiration for people who are able to make a living this way. I don't know if I would be willing to work that hard.

Your friend and his brother should be proud of their accomplishment.

[bubbawadd]

Part of it is they are actually willing to LIVE at the station. I've seen it many times.

Correct, and most of them only work for one year 6 days a week, 12 hrs a day. They make enough money during this one year to go back to their shitty countries and live like kings for a long, long time.

[HummerTuesdays]

Don't forget that when you're working 80 hours, and your wife is covering on your day off, there's a LOT less spending on leisure activities. Who has time for movies, restaurants, bars, and you even said he hasn't taken a vacation in years. That alone would save me a ton of money. I'd love to pay my mortgage off quicker, but I moved down the shore for a reason: I want to be at the beach on weekends, not toiling away at the Quick Stop.

Sure, being retired at 37 would be wonderful, but I want to enjoy my life today. I don't have the personality of a workaholic, so why be miserable when there's a chance I could die tomorrow?

[Leslie Anne]

My cousin recently closed her own retail shop. It just became too much for her. She worked 12 hours a day. She went through umpteen employees and realized that working like a dog for not so much $ isn't worth it. She did own a few gambling game rooms at one time. They are illegal in Texas, but she made buttloads-o-cash with minimal work! After her boyfriend was shot because one of her game rooms were robbed, she made a decision that saved her life. She closed shop and moved back here to be legal again. So either you can work legally like a dog and tread just above water, or you do something illegal/possibly be killed and make bu-ku bux really quick....decisions, decisions...

[Aizazzle]

Correct, and most of them only work for one year 6 days a week, 12 hrs a day. They make enough money during this one year to go back to their shitty countries and live like kings for a long, long time.


Alright since I'am Pakitani I will answer the question . They works as hard as shit here but as soon as they make enough money they go back why because?

$1=58-60 Rupees in Pakistan
$1=46-48 Rupees in India

They live like kings.
You see in our countries you can hire servants to do all your work Cook your food , clean your house and averything else people hate to do. Those servants could be hired between 2000-3000 Rupees every month. About $50 so wouldn't you work hard . When later in your life you can live like a king.

So their motivation is that in their own country they can live kings while here they will always be middle class

[DanaReevesLungs]

I had an Indian co-worker who's dad was a gas station franchisee. He told me that 1st generation immigrants opening or buying a business got government grants and tax relief when opening/operating retail driven businesses.

[Wetback78]

I had an Indian co-worker who's dad was a gas station franchisee. He told me that 1st generation immigrants opening or buying a business got government grants and tax relief when opening/operating retail driven businesses.


What a surprise are own government screwing us over again.

[MyMomsBox]

Fuck the gas...I just want to know why they can't learn how to cancel an AOL subscription?

[Pablo Java]

Wouldn't that suck if they were part of some terrorist organization and blew up all gas stations on the same day?

talk about fuckin shit up