Dead River convenience stores make shift from ExxonMobil to Shell

By Karen Donato
Staff Writer
    Local residents are noticing the shift from the familiar Exxon/Mobil signs at the Dead River Convenience stores around town. Since the merger of Exxon and Mobil in early 2000, the Dead River Oil Company no longer had the right to sell under the Exxon brand once their licensing agreement expired this year.
    A distributor since 1938, the management of the Dead River Company researched their options and chose the Shell brand of gasoline.
    According to Alan Dorr of Portland, the general manager of the convenience store division for the Dead River Oil Company, Shell is a premium brand with a great reputation and superior credit card.
    Dorr said, “Shell offers more than a gasoline credit card, it offers a Shell Mastercard that provides 5 percent off your gasoline purchases. We think this is important to consumers.”
    Shell also has a new nitrogen-enriched gasoline that is clean burning and appealing to customers. The Shell Company offers excellent marketing tools and customer promotions.
    Dorr added, “These incentives fit well with the Dead River brand of service and philosophy.”
    There are 28 Dead River convenience stores in the state. All, but one of the stores are in the process of the changeover. They will not be completed until later in the spring.
    The stations are no longer accepting the Exxon/Mobil cards, but applications are available for the Shell cards at each store. Shell also offers a special Shell saver card that is a direct debit to your checking account for the convenience of the customer.