WEST HARTFORD – The pumps at the BJ’s Wholesale Club gas station officially opened at 6:30 a.m. this morning, but the line started forming much earlier. The crowd gathered for a promotion taking place at 507 New Park Ave., West Hartford, where the store has offered regular unleaded gas for $2.50 a gallon. The promotion allowed the first 500 people to purchase the discounted gas and the first person in line told Fox CT’s Jan Carabeo that she woke up at 2:30 a.m. to claim a spot.
This deal comes as the nation gets ready for a big travel weekend and as gas prices are on the rise. According to AAA, gas prices have increased nationally by seven cents to $3.60 for regular unleaded over the last week. In Connecticut, the average is even higher at $3.79 a gallon, which is still less than it was this time last year at $3.96 per gallon. The seven cent increase in the past week is largest national spike since February, which has forced the national average to the highest price since March.
Planned and unplanned refinery maintenance in the Midwest and the Western coast could be to blame. So, the lucky 500 people in West Hartford paid some of the lowest prices in the country today.
The BJ’s promotion reached it’s 500 customer limit around 8:30 a.m.