2025-09-03
Neighbors complain about Alameda gas station extending hours
ALAMEDA, Calif. (KRON) -- A gas station in Alameda is fighting to extend their hours to attract more business, but some neighbors aren’t happy about it. Pushing the city council to hear an appeal on Tuesday.There’s strong support as well as opposition to the gas station. The owner says he’s been welcomed into the community for the last three years, and he’s asking for the chance to be a bigger part of it.Assault, deadly shooting happened within hours on same Emeryville block: policeThat’s why he’s put up these signs asking opposing neighbors to reconsider. In the middle of a quiet Alameda neighborhood, a Mobil gas station lies on Central Avenue.Over the last three years, Quais Ahmed has been running it. Overall, the location has been operated as a gas station for the last 75 years.But Ahmed says it’s been a struggle, and he wants to extend weekday hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends to 8 p.m., including adding Sunday, to increase profits.”Struggling to pay the rent," Ahmed said. "We’re struggling to pay the taxes, struggling to pay the utilities, struggling with a lot of bills to pay and maybe those hours can help and make it work for us.”The Alameda Planning Commission approved his request in June, sparking outrage from some disapproving neighbors. Putting up their own signs asking the city council to change their stance and say no to the extra hours.They didn’t want to talk on camera but told KRON4 they believe longer hours -- especially on the weekends -- would open the floodgates to larger crowds, more noise, and worries about the shop.”We’re not trying to open till midnight at all, and we’re not trying to change it to a 7/11 at all," Ahmed said. "We just need a little snack, water, soda for people pumping gas, and they can go right away.”Over the summer, Ahmed has gained over 400 signatures in support, including customers and the neighboring church, which uses their lot for parking on Sundays. Trinity Lutheran Church administrator Jessica Fleischman is on board with the extension of hours. Longtime San Francisco boba shop suffers major damage after kitchen fire"The current owners are very kind and polite and always wanting to work with us, just really good people to be around," Fleischman said. "The expansion of hours is pretty reasonable; they just want to make a living here. We would not like to have an empty station with nothing there.””It’s not that late. I get people say it’s residential, but it’s only 10 o'clock. People are awake," Montez said. It’s not like it's midnight or 7 Eleven where they’re open all the time. Like if I’m running out with the babies, I feel safe here.”The city council hearing for the appeal will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
