Closing of Unocal Station on Balboa

The boot heel of corporate America is once again pounding upon the lives of members of a local community. Unocal Corp., owner of a Unocal service station on Balboa Island, has decided that a few bucks are more important than community services, despite their ad campaign to the contrary.

I have received correspondence from C.R. Warnock, vice president Western marketing for Unocal, who informs me that the sole and exclusive reason for doing this is that replacement of underground storage tanks would be “prohibitively expensive.” It is amazing to me that in the very same letter Warnock has indicated that the removal of those tanks is necessary whether Unocal closes the station or not. This is because some core sample tests disclosed “non-detectable levels” of contaminants.

In the 17 years that I have lived there I have had numerous occasions to utilize the services of the 76 station, long before I became a regular customer. I noticed that young children and senior citizens alike have had the opportunity to wheel bicycles with flat tires to the station and receive cheerful attention to their needs. Rod, Tom and Mike who work the station as mechanics and fuel requisition engineers have provided the community with a level of service that is not matched at any other station.

This community needs the station. Warnock suggests that the Corona del Mar station “a little over a mile away” will fulfill the community needs. This shows his lack of sensitivity and paucity of understanding of the island’s needs.

Unocal is spending millions on its radio and television advertising campaigns promoting the “fantastic” personal service that one is supposed to receive from mechanics at its stations. At the same time many franchises are being taken over by people who do not know what “service” at a service station is.

Unocal has elevated its own profit taking and the corporation’s financial interest over and above that of the community. This attitude must receive the disapproval of our citizens. I hope that each and every one will write to Unocal and boycott Unocal products to show the displeasure with this attitude of avarice and greed that is espoused by this corporation.

MAURICE MANDEL II

Balboa Island