Wally’s, the mega gas station in Fenton that has become a hangout destination for many students, has a direct connection to MHS. Charlie Wallis, sophomore, is the son of the co-owner, Chad Wallis.

Wallis said the road trip theme of the gas station, which opened in March, is appealing to people visiting the store. 

“It feels like you’re going to a destination, but it’s conveniently right around the corner,“ Wallis said. 

At 36,000 square feet, Wally’s offers a variety of features like a beef jerky bar, a BBQ sandwich house, a popcorn station, a bakery and a beverage bar, which offers a slushie station and fountain drinks. 

The gas station also provides 75 fueling stations for cars, which is a lot more than an average gas station. 

Wallis said the gas station is the ultimate destination for a convenient selection of products, and he even enjoys wearing the merchandise with his friends around school.

“There’s no reason you shouldn’t get to experience everything you love about road trips in your regular routine,” Wallis said. “With Wally’s, you can do that.”

Harini Sreeperunbuduru, senior, first visited a Wally’s with her friends on a road trip back from Chicago. 

“We stopped at Wally’s because it was huge and looked really nice, and we loved going there,” Sreeperunbuduru said. 

From Wally’s merchandise to car maintenance supplies and food, Sreeperunbuduru said she was surprised to see a variety of items sold at the gas station. One of Sreeperunbuduru’s friends went back to Wally’s and bought her a ‘Honk If You Like Wally’s’ sticker for her car. 

Sreeperunbuduru said she is excited the store has opened up in St. Louis and plans to visit soon. 

Anna Marren, senior, didn’t hear about Wally’s until her mom told her about it and took her there after her hockey game. Since then, she has visited the gas station two times in two weeks. 

Marren said she especially likes the people who worked there.

“Everyone I talked to was nice, and they know how to run it,” Marren said. “It’s a pretty great establishment, and I hope it’s able to make it for the long run.”

Lexi Sims, Wally’s cashier, has been an employee at the Fenton location starting three weeks before its official opening. 

“Everything is just different than what you would find in a Walmart or another gas station,” Sims said.

The gas station has been a popular spot for teenagers to come and hang out, and Sims said the laid back nature of the store and the products have brought in a lot of unique attention from others. 

“I’ve honestly never seen stuff like this,” Sims said. “Even the drinks that we have, I think it’s like 48 different sodas, and they’re all retro, 80s, 70s themed.”