A sniff, a sip, a score. What once started as a simple idea in my basic media writing class has quickly become something different entirely. “The rules are simple,” I said in the first edition while reviewing coffee, this is no longer true. The days of sitting under the moonlight enjoying a beer or a cup of coffee in the morning glow are no more.
The humble beginnings of local coffee shops and breweries have now become walking into random bathrooms for no reason other than a sniff. A sip, a sniff, a score has no need for a sip now, or a sniff, just a score.
I was sitting in my cluttered apartment blankly staring at the bags in the corner I still hadn’t unpacked from Christmas break when it all made sense. A sniff, a sip, a score has evolved into a review of life’s daily occurrences, a comedic, honest ranking of the necessities for college students, coffee and beer still fit within this category, but so do bathrooms and the subject of this review, gas stations.
Complaints about my credibility as a critic have come up multiple times, no matter the subject of the review, prompting me to have to specify. I am in no way a professional coffee critic, or beer, and definitely not a bathroom stench analyzer. These reviews are for fun, focusing on the nuances that make each spot unique. Crafting a review of the overall experience through the eyes of a 21-year-old college student with barely enough money to afford the beer being reviewed. With that said, I am not a professional gas station critic, don’t get butthurt.
Common Cents
Five Stars
The Common Cents off of Jackson Blvd.is iconic in my eyes. I couldn’t count the number of times I was welcomed in after a night out at the bars. There’s nothing like the relief of seeing fluorescent and neon light illuminate the icy sidewalk dusted with snow while walking home in the middle of winter, drunk.
It’s an inviting place with, not only friendly, but quick staff. I’ve never spent more than five minutes there unless it’s to warm up, or because my card got stuck in the gas pump. It’s true, the only bad experience was almost exactly a year ago when stopping before a road trip to North Dakota. Pump one had it out for me that day, eating my credit card and not letting it go until the clerk brought out pliers 30 minutes into the ordeal. The poor Capital One still has scratch marks and bends on it.
The selection of snacks, drinks, and alcohol is pretty average, mediocre at best and the gas isn’t substantially cheaper or better. 90% of the time all the pumps are full and the parking is minimal, on paper this Common Cents doesn’t sound special, but it is. It might be its location right next to campus, the convenience of being open 24/7 or any of the countless memories made there. Common Cents has cemented itself as Black Hills State’s official gas station, if there was such a thing.
PHILLIPS 66
4,5 Stars
Phillips 66 is best reviewed when comparing it to Common Cents, even though it’s on a completely different side of town, miles away from downtown off of Old Belle road, close to I-90.
The location is a hassle for some, but can be worth the drive for the right reason. First of all, the more remote location means there is always at least one gas pump open, and there is also a substantial amount of parking available. A little coffee hut sits to the right of the station, in the same parking lot.
The gas station has a much larger selection of snacks, drinks, beer, and even liquor, which Common Cents lacked. It is also open 24/7 and the staff is just as friendly, but not nearly as quick. Each staff member has a distinct personality, striking conversation and always keeping you longer, which is enjoyable in some circumstances. Its close proximity to the interstate makes it the perfect spot to stop before a road trip.
On paper, Phillips 66 is the perfect gas station, however, its location is a drawback and the complete lack of fond memories and drunk pit stops puts it slightly below Common Cents.
VALLEY CORNER
4 Stars
I’ve only been to the Valley Corner next to Guadalajara a handful of times, I don’t think I’ve ever actually filled up with gas there once. However, everyone has seen it and thought they should stop and take a picture. The nostalgic green and red neon buzzed as it transports you back in time.
It is in a perfect location like the Phillips 66, close to the interstate and also close to Main St. It only has a few pumps, but I have never actually seen anyone filling up at any of them. The snack selection is the same as any other gas station and the friendly staff fit the aesthetic of the exterior.
Gas stations represent the history of the rise of the automobile. Different ones reflect different periods in time and each one possesses their own personality. Just because Valley Corner isn’t the most practical gas station or the most posh and modern one on the list doesn’t make it bad. Sometimes getting gas can be just that, getting gas, other times it can be an experience that sticks around.
