NEPTUNE CITY, N.J. -- Forced to leave New Jersey 15 years ago as part of an anti-trust settlement, Mobil gas stations are returning to the Jersey Shore, reported The Asbury Park Press.
Gas station owners have introduced Mobil stations in Neptune City, Bradley Beach and Toms River, N.J., said the report, and a fourth is scheduled to open in Neptune City by the end of the month.
The return of the red Pegasus logo comes more than a decade after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) forced what was then Exxon Corp. and Mobil Corp. to sell Mobil's stations in New Jersey to help clear the way for the two oil companies to merge.
They were sold in 2000 to Tosco, which was acquired by ConocoPhillips. They then were sold to Lukoil.
This time, ExxonMobil doesn't own the stations. Instead, independent stations contracted with Mobil to carry its brand.
"Before Mobil left the state of New Jersey, it was probably the most recognized retail brand in our state," Ravi Gill, vice president of Creative Management Inc. in Matawan, N.J., which owns the three Monmouth County stations, told the newspaper.
"Mobil offers some of the best product, at least fuel product, in the market. It has a loyal following among its customer base," he said.
Click here to view the full Asbury Park Press report.
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