Posted on: Saturday, September 11, 2004

Tesoro station on Ward will close

By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer

After 21 years of servicing motorists, the Tesoro gas station at the corner of Ward Avenue and Auahi Street will be closing down Friday for good.

The gas station is being displaced by a $100 million expansion of Victoria Ward Centers by Chicago-based owner General Growth Properties. The Kaka'ako shopping complex — O'ahu's third-largest, after Ala Moana Center and Pearlridge Center — plans to add rental apartments, retail space and a parking structure.

"It's sad. We'd love to be able to stay," said Eric Lee, regional manager at Tesoro Hawaii, a unit of San Antonio-based Tesoro Petroleum Corp.

The Ward gas station's five remaining employees will be moved to other locations, he said.

To say thanks to customers, Tesoro Ward is giving away coupons that offer $1 off on a $10 purchase, which includes gas. The coupons will be available until Friday.

After the gas station closes, Tesoro will be left with 32 company-owned stations on O'ahu and two dealer-operated stations, in Kahului, Maui, and Hilo, Hawai'i.

Reach Deborah Adamson at 525-8088 or dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com.