Marathon Petroleum which operates gas station retail operations from nine states to 23 states along the coast and in the Southeast will acquire all of the Hess stations and rebrand them to Speedway. The deal is slated to close in the third quarter of 2014 for a reported $2.87 billion and will net Hess, the largest chain of company-operated gas stations and convenience stores on the East Coast. Sadly the east coast is losing an American icon in the gasoline space. In particular folks will lose the ability to buy a Hess toy truck at participating locations, a tradition for many families who enjoy picking up a new Hess toy truck every year. Hess will remain in business, their just selling off their gas stations and reshape itself as a pure production and exploration company since coming under pressure from hedge fund Elliott Capital Management in 2013.

 

 

The good news is that we are not losing our Hess toy trucks, an American tradition enjoyed by generations of American families. Hess will still produce their famous toy trucks but they will only be available for sale online beginning in 2015. Sadly we will lose any future Hess posters, key chains and related accessories. The TV commercial for Hess trucks will likely change directly customers to their website instead saying available at participating Hess stations. This year, 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the toy trucks, what will be this year’s truck? Perhaps the will roll out a reproductions of the very first truck issued in 1964!