gas stations
 

My dad owned two gas stations in MD for twenty years. He did very well and retired in comfort. Where I live in NJ, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a gas station where any of the workers or owners speak proper english. I am wondering why? Are gas stations that unprofitable that only recent immigrants would buy them ?

Re: gas stations
 

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My dad owned two gas stations in MD for twenty years. He did very well and retired in comfort. Where I live in NJ, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a gas station where any of the workers or owners speak proper english. I am wondering why? Are gas stations that unprofitable that only recent immigrants would buy them ?

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maybe recent immigrants are so cheap that they increase the profit margin to the owners...

Barron

Re: gas stations
 

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My dad owned two gas stations in MD for twenty years. He did very well and retired in comfort. Where I live in NJ, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a gas station where any of the workers or owners speak proper english. I am wondering why? Are gas stations that unprofitable that only recent immigrants would buy them ?

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe recent immigrants are so cheap that they increase the profit margin to the owners...

Barron

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The owners are recent immigrants as well...

Re: gas stations
 

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My dad owned two gas stations in MD for twenty years. He did very well and retired in comfort. Where I live in NJ, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a gas station where any of the workers or owners speak proper english. I am wondering why? Are gas stations that unprofitable that only recent immigrants would buy them ?

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe recent immigrants are so cheap that they increase the profit margin to the owners...

Barron

[/ QUOTE ]


The owners are recent immigrants as well...

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hmmmmm

All the chinese restraunts around here are owned by asians too. (my wife is Chinese, no racist ban please)

What I'm trying to say, is just because a particular group owns/invests a lot in specific area, I don't think you can determine if it's profitable or not.

Re: gas stations
 

I think there's a law of some sort that allow an immigrant to run a small business tax free for like 3 years or something. This gives them an unfair advantage. Then after the 3 years they "sell" it to their brother or something then he gets to run it tax free for 3 years.

Re: gas stations
 

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My dad owned two gas stations in MD for twenty years. He did very well and retired in comfort. Where I live in NJ, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a gas station where any of the workers or owners speak proper english. I am wondering why? Are gas stations that unprofitable that only recent immigrants would buy them ?

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe recent immigrants are so cheap that they increase the profit margin to the owners...

Barron

[/ QUOTE ]


The owners are recent immigrants as well...

[/ QUOTE ]

hmmmmm

All the chinese restraunts around here are owned by asians too. (my wife is Chinese, no racist ban please)

What I'm trying to say, is just because a particular group owns/invests a lot in specific area, I don't think you can determine if it's profitable or not.

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Thats the funny thing, they arenat all the same nationality....some arabic, some indian, some easter european, some african...etc...

Re: gas stations
 

Gas stations, liquor stores, delis have always been businesses dominated by immigrant owners. It is much easier for them to get into these type of businesses than into something that requires more training or education. Some of them come to this country with nothing, get a hard money loan from family members/friends or people from the same nationality and then buy these businesses. It has been like that for decades.

Re: gas stations
 

i always just thought this was because it is a less desireable business to own than most others.

if you, an average american, had the choice to buy a gas station/convenience store/liquor store/etc., or basically any other type of small business, what would you choose?

maybe i'm wrong, but i think this defintely plays a major part of it.

tc

Re: gas stations
 

nah taylor, I think you are right. These businesses strike me as simple to run, yet require alot of hard work. Meaning, you dont need to understand local customs or buying habits or marketing, yet you will probably need to put in a lot of physical work. Perfect business for a foreigner.

Re: gas stations
 

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i always just thought this was because it is a less desireable business to own than most others.

if you, an average american, had the choice to buy a gas station/convenience store/liquor store/etc., or basically any other type of small business, what would you choose?

maybe i'm wrong, but i think this defintely plays a major part of it.

tc

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I'd take the liquor store and it's not even close.