Gasoline prices at local gas stations in East Boston have soared in the past month with some gas stations in the neighborhood charging upwards of $3.77 per gallon for regular.
In Massachusetts the current average for regular gas was $3.76, $3.91 for midrange gas and $4.04 for premium.
The highest prices we’ve seen in Eastie were at the Shell gas station at 52 Meridian St. There regular gas costs a whopping $3.99 for regular.
In other parts of the neighborhood, the Mobile and LukOil gas stations in Day Square were charging $3.77 for regular but had a cash only price of $3.75.
The cheapest we found was at Lanzilli’s Gas Station on Bennington Street in Orient Heights where keeping gas affordable is the owner’s determination.
There regular gas was a mere $3.69, eight cents below the neighborhood average and well below the state average.
“It’s the cheapest gas I’ve seen anywhere,” said one woman filling up her car Monday morning at Lanzilli’s. “I’ve seen it as high as $4 a gallon, it’s ridiculous.”
Lanzilli’s has consistently kept its gas prices below $3.70 for regular and still boasts some of the cheapest gas prices around. By Monday. Lanzilli’s hit its lowest price charging $3.69 for regular. While the price was a low for Lanzilli’s in the past month it was a record high for the amount of customers lining up to fill their tanks at the station.
Lanzilli’s owner, Sonny Patel, said his gas station has been bust as gas prices began creeping up a month ago.
“We’ve selling more gas because we are the cheapest around,” said Patel who keeps a close eye on gas price trends in the area. “We are cheaper than Revere, Winthrop, or Everett. We’re here to make our customers happy and having cheap gas has seemed to make everyone happy.”
Motorists applaud Patel’s efforts and are relieved there’s one honest businessman trying to make a living without taking advantage of the public.
“The gas prices have a trickle down effect on the local economy,” said another resident filling up at Lanzilli’s. “When families have to pay more money for gas they have to make spending cuts somewhere else. It good to see that a man who has a business in a working class neighborhood like Eastie try to help, not hurt, the middle class.”
Patel remains humble about his low gas prices and said he’s just doing what any good businessman would do.
“These are the same customers we’ve had for years,” said Patel. “They buy their gas here, they shop in the convenience store so I’m just trying to help them out.”
According to AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.59. This price is six cents more expensive than one week ago, 28 cents more than one month ago and eight cents more than the average price one year ago. Last Monday’s price, according to AAA, were the highest on record for this calendar day with the national average increasing for 25 consecutive days, which is the longest streak since February and March 2012
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