Gateway Fuels Serving West Laramie and Beyond [ADVERTORIAL]

On Memorial Day weekend, Gateway Fuels Shell opened in West Laramie where highways 130 and 230 fork. Owners Rajeev Patel, Marty McKinney and Jeff Thelen saw a great location for a gas station in West Laramie, but they also saw the potential for a place Laramie residents could be proud of.

Patel says business has been increasing since they opened and as they prepare for snowmobile season says, "We are the last stop for people going to the mountains, but we are here for the people who are here year-round."

Locals make up their main customer base and Patel believes they appreciate having a nice place that is investing in West Laramie. Meanwhile, the owners are taking pride in their place and doing what they can to add services, trying to expand the food offerings and adding local elements. Gateway Coffee and Gateway Liquors are facets Patel is particularly proud of.

The liquor store offers weekly specials (through their Facebook page) and when customers make requests for certain products, they do their best to provide them. Gateway Liquors is also a late night option for residents, staying open until 10 p.m. Sunday thru Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

When it come down to it though, Gateway is a gas station and Patel points to a big parking lot and the reliability of a company like Shell for their success so far.

"It's easy for big truck and trailers to get out of our parking lot," says Patel. "Shell is a modern company with a great gas card system. We told them our vision, they liked it and have really followed through with supporting us."

The pumps at Gateway Fuels are open seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.