As a convenience store that closes in-store operation half the year because of limited selling opportunities, Tioga Gas Mart finds it necessary to make up for the winter downtime from April through October each year—and then some.
For example this year, the Lee Vining, Calif., convenience store re-opened April 23, just in time for the fishing and hunting season to commence. Co-owner Denise Molnar runs the 6,000-square-foot store along with her parents, Dennis and Jane.
Established in 1996, the Mobil-branded, single location sits in the shadow of Yosemite National Park and the Eastern Sierras, and is renowned for serving as a viable one-stop destination oasis for travelers and locals alike. Situated at the corner of Highways 395 and 120, Tioga (so named for the breathtaking Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range) serves as an ideal location for a quick or prolonged stop as travelers descend upon the national park. Those vacationers are in short supply when winter season comes, however, and roads are literally impassable into the national park system.
A spacious store with ample outside space for customers to eat and stretch their legs, the Tioga Gas Mart’s website proudly announces: “Eat some amazing grub at the famous Whoa Nellie Deli, grab some snacks, find some great souvenirs, fill up your gas tank or just enjoy the spectacular views of Mono Lake and the Dana Plateau.”
Dennis and Denise Molnar of Tioga Gas Mart