ROCKINGHAM — The Hardee’s and Sunoco gas station located just off of US HWY 1 and the James E. Clemmons Jr. Bridge outside of the Rockingham city limits has been temporarily closed.
It’s unclear why the property closed, although the owners from over two years ago, Mountain Express Oil, recently requested to cease their operations amid a failed bankruptcy sale. Mountain Express Oil has requested permission to cease all of its real estate property leases and fuel supply agreements during a hearing.
C-Store Dive reported that some Mountain Express entities have gone well over seven days without gasoline deliveries in August.
According to the property deed for the gas station, on July 22, 2021, United Fuels Rockingham (same mailing address as Mountain Express Oil Company) granted a a special warranty deed to Mountain Portfolio Owner NC LLC. On August 13, 2021, Rockingham Portfolio LLC transferred the property via a quick claim deed to Pinecrest Owner LLC. On January 19, 2022, Lidl Operations US LLC conveyed the property via special warranty deed to Boos-GW Rockingham LLC. It’s unclear why there is no continuity between the grantors and grantees throughout the conveyance timeline.
It’s unclear how long the building and 18-wheeler rest-stop has ceased operations, although Facebook posts indicate it’s been closed for at least 3-4 days. Trash was piled high outside of the Hardee’s and the service stations, where the nozzles were covered with plastic bags. The electronic marquee was blank, but that didn’t stop travelers from making a loop around the gas station Wednesday afternoon.
The property has a current tax value of $2,364,494, according to the Richmond County GIS Parcel Viewer. The Hardee’s in Hamlet is unaffected by this temporary closing.
This is a developing story.
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