O'Connell Oil Opens New Prototype

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- A new Shell gas station set to open brings new meaning to the term "full service," reports the Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle.

Besides gas, the operation will feature a Convenience Plus store, Dunkin' Donuts and a Legacy Bank branch.

Construction began in April, "and the hope is that we'll open Aug. 15," John Gaudrault, senior vice president for Pittsfield, Mass.-based O'Connell Oil Associates, told the Eagle.

"What you're seeing here is a prototype. It used to be that it would just be the convenience store and a gas station. Now we're seeing more variety, like the gas station, convenience store, a bank and a Dunkin' Donuts or a Subway," Gaudrault said.

The facility, at about 4,200 square feet, may be the biggest convenience center in the county, said O'Connell Oil President Michael Sobon.

"I don't know of any bigger," he said. "That is going to be our flagship."

The doughnut shop will occupy 650 square feet and include a drive-through window. The Dunkin' Donuts franchise will be operated by Cafua Management of North Andover, Mass., which runs more than 120 of the franchises in New England and New York.

The Legacy Bank branch will occupy about 600 square feet and will include drive-through service. Once the new branch is open, the older branch, in the adjacent Pittsfield Plaza, will close.

"We're very excited about this opportunity to partner with O'Connell Oil," said Angela Motler, vice president of branch administration.

She described the new branch as an "express location" manned by three tellers who will provide account services in the lobby and at the drive-through window during extended hours -- Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"We've never been able to provide drive-through service where we are now, and that is something our customers have wanted for some time," Motler said.

The branch will be armed with an online kiosk where customers can open new accounts and an automated teller machine, as well as a night-drop deposit.

"We really think this is going to be a nice opportunity to provide our customers with new convenience banking," she said.

Gaudrault said O'Connell Oil has found that partnering with other brands has advantages.

"We've done several of these joint ventures, and they've proven successful for us in the past," Gaudrault said. "And I think this location is going to be good for the area."

Site preparations began on the property in 2001. The project was delayed by the need to remove waste-oil-contaminated soil.

O'Connell Oil will operate the convenience store and 12 fueling stations at the Shell facility. O'Connell already operates 12 convenience store/service stations and seven gas stations in the Berkshires.
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