A Main Street gas station in Hellertown which changed hands exactly five years ago is once again being sold.
The CITGO at 1020 Main Street was last sold in March 2018, when it continued operating under the CITGO name following the transfer of ownership.
This time the business will become a Raceway gas station, according to a source familiar with the sale.
The CITGO manager on duty Monday declined to confirm whether it will reopen as Raceway, but confirmed the sale and said the business will likely be closed for about a week.
She said the sale is effective Wednesday, March 15, but Monday was the last day of business prior to the transfer.
Inside the gas station’s Mini Mart convenience store Monday, shelves and coolers were nearly bare and lottery sales had ceased in preparation for the temporary closure. Gas was still being sold at around 2 p.m.
Located near downtown Hellertown, the small shop is a popular gathering place for local residents who purchase coffee, cold drinks, snacks, cigarettes and lottery tickets there.
If the business becomes a Raceway, it will be the first to open in the Saucon Valley area. Several other Raceway gas stations have opened nearby in the past couple years, including two on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township.
As of Monday afternoon the Raceway at 2415 Easton Avenue was reportedly selling regular unleaded gas for $3.39/gal., which is currently one of the best prices in the area, according to GasBuddy.com.
Channel 69 News reported in February that another Raceway is coming to Freemansburg Avenue in Bethlehem Township, where it will open where Pagats Auto Service was located.
There are currently three other gas stations in Hellertown, including Sunoco stations at 701 Main Street (Plaza) and 1169 Main Street (Kline’s) and an Exxon station at 1570 Main Street (Top Star).
Top Star Exxon houses a convenience store that is scheduled to be expanded later this year to include a Subway franchise. The franchise was formerly located in the Creekside Marketplace shopping center on the south side of Hellertown in Lower Saucon Township.
According to the store locator on Citgo.com, other Citgo locations in the area include gas stations in Bethlehem, Allentown and Palmer Township near Easton.
The CITGO gas station on Main Street in Hellertown has been sold and will reportedly become a Raceway when it reopens later this month. A closure of about a week is expected during the transition period.
