MONUMENT, Colo. — The owner of a Sinclair gas station in Monument shared her thoughts with KOAA on Palmer Lake’s proposed Buc-ee’s just before a key meeting on the project.

The gas station and repair shop is located along Highway 105, just east of I-25, one exit south of the Buc-ee’s proposed location. It is distinguished by an iconic green Sinclair dinosaur statue facing the highway.

“I just think Buc-ee’s is economic cannibalism,” Shandra Sweet said shortly after finishing work Wednesday. “Basically, I feel like if they were on the next exit ramp, they would take our bread and butter, which is the traffic that goes through in the summer or on vacation.”

Sweet took over the operation of the Sinclair sales site in 2010, succeeding his father. She employs fewer than 10 people, most of whom she said grew up in the area and graduated from Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge high schools.

“As an independent dealer, we pay more per gallon for our gasoline than stores that have more purchasing power, so we can’t compete with our price per gallon,” Sweet explained. “I feel like everyone says they want to keep things American and small town and go back to basics, and a Buc-ee’s isn’t that.”

KOAA spoke with customers at the Sweet’s station as they arrived Wednesday afternoon. Ten people said they opposed Buc-ee’s, four said they supported them and one said they were indifferent. However, those who opposed it did not want their names and faces made public due to the public outcry.

KOAA viewers on Facebook are mixed on the possibility of a Buc-ee’s coming to northern El Paso County. Those who support it say the community should welcome the tax revenue the travel stop could bring to the city. Texas-based Buc-ee’s has a strong following across the country, with many are supporting the Johnstown location, north of Denver, which opened earlier this year. Others are at the origin of the new jobs that would be created in the region.

For Sweet, his concerns extend beyond his own business.

“This is going to affect a number of local small businesses,” Sweet added. “Luckily we have a repair shop, but not 7-Eleven.”

The 7-Eleven that Sweet is talking about is located on the west side of I-25, across from Sweet’s business.

KOAA spoke with several business owners in the Tri-Lakes area, all of whom opposed the idea of ​​a Buc-ee’s in their community. If you are a local business owner in the area that supports Buc-ee’s and would like to speak on camera, please email [email protected].

The proposed site for Buc-ee’s is currently in El Paso County, outside the Palmer Lake Town limits. Currently, Buc-ee’s hopes the land will be annexed to Palmer Lake. The Palmer Lake board of directors is scheduled to meet Thursday evening to 6 a.m. to review preliminary approval of the “flagpole” annexation request.

“The business item which the Council will consider is eligibility annexation; DO NOT vote for/against annexation”, an article on the Palmer Lake website states. “The decision whether or not to annex property into the Town of Palmer Lake is a decision that must be made by the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, which was elected by the voters of Palmer Lake.”

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