Sketchy, run down. Will not let you use the bathroom EVEN IF you make a purchase. I totally understand the need to lock the bathrooms to prevent homeless camping in there, but to refuse it to customers is over the top. The only redeeming quality is that the gas is on the cheap side. read more

Stopped here to get gas this morning and the sign read $6.42/gal. (Credit card price) for 89 octane. Started pumping and around the 7 gallon mark realized at the pump they were actually charging $6.52/gal. Unfortunately, at 5:30 am, the walk in/store section was closed so I couldn't even bring it to their attention. A classic case of Bait and switch. Tried calling the number listed and it said the number was no longer in service. read more

Valero Corner Store - the receipt for the store - Gas Stations Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Nice little gas station and convenience store. Stopped in one evening to pick up a few cold bottles of bottled water. Steady stream of folks coming in here to buy soda and stuff. Pretty close to the Hampton In hotel - so very convenient. And they accept Amex - unlike the little twit gas station/convenience store right next door to the Hampton Inn hotel. read more

Valero Corner Store - a gas station sign - Gas Stations Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I came here on my way out of Santa Cruz, heading to the east bay. I walked in and was welcomed with the smell of sweaty rancid meat hitting me in the face. Not something you want to smell first thing in the morning, or ever for that matter. I quickly went in and paid for my fuel trying to hold back the innate desire to blow chunks in nausea across the counter. The attendant seemed to be used to the smell and was kind enough to provide me with quick service so that I could get in and out of there. Many reviews indicate that this place is run down and sketchy with many homeless- I can see that being the case during the late hours of the evening and early morn- while I was there it was mostly hippies. I do commend them on the cheap and affordable gas prices, but that smell... read more

Rude, Disrespectful, Cussed out for being broken down at the pump. Car wouldn't start and tried to fix it before calling AAA. Let Mike, who was working the front counter, know that the car was broken and we were working on getting it towed. Waited several hours for the tow truck. Later he comes out and yells to move the car. Waving his arms saying we are causing him to lose business. I let him know again that it is broken and will not start. Continues to yell "fuck you" and walked back into the store. As a young women with her dad, it was very shocking and startling to be yelled at so aggressively. Later tried to talk to him again and he yelled that we had been there too long and to call a tow truck. I explained that I already did and there was nothing further we could do but wait. Mike continued to yell telling us to get out of the parking lot saying he was going to call the tow truck himself, then demanded we get out of the store. read more

Kind of run down gas station in a shady area. There are always junkies and homeless folks idling around eyeing you, and the past several times I've consistently been hit up for money while at the pump, even once when I was filling up before dawn on a weekend and the city was still mostly asleep... Pretty sure there's also some folks living out of their car nearby. read more

Horrible customer service. I was not only disrespected, i was called names so i the returned names to her in Spanish and she shut up real quick but i hate people like that in general but whatever she's a bitch I'm over it now just i would hope she would at least get a verbal warning because you don't talk about ppl like that i get some don't understand what your saying but i do and ima call her out on her shit. She just thought she was sly cause I'm white littlw does she know i speak it all ducking day read more

Most ppl working there don't have good customer service except for a select few. The air pump has been out of service for a couple months and don't really think they are doing anything to fix it. Gas prices are reasonable though. read more

I stop her for gas if I absolutely have to when getting off my graveyard shift at 7a. The older woman that works there is pleasant. But...there is a owner or relative of that appears to be there some ams as well. He is rude, the store is dirty. The other morning either I dropped $100 in his store at the register. I tried to phone (#is disconnected)primarily because he was not enforcing the distancing order and looked at me like I had a problem because I was wearing a mask. I want to wear a mask and gloves when I go there pre corona virus! I was at the pump getting ready to pay for my gas but was finishing up a moni li e food order on my phone. Mind you no other cars were there as he came up and screamed at my window that I cant stay for a hour and move! I said it's only been 10 min if that. He said I dont care and stomped off. He and that store and the area connected to it are horrible read more

In a pinch.. this place is awesome

As a gas station, it's, you know, a gas station. They have gas and... stuff. As a place to stop off for gas as you get off the freeway on your way home, it is unparalleled. The people watching is simply world class. I never stop here without some kind of human catastrophe unfolding before me.... some sunburnt lady with no shoes getting in a fight with her boyfriend and just walking off, down Ocean Street... fortysomething lowlifes on little BMX bikes doing deals right on the street... crazy homeless people trudging into oncoming traffic with their shopping carts, screaming at an imaginary person the whole time...two-ton tessie leaving the Mickey D's across the street with two bags full of fast food and walking across the street with one boob fully exposed and just flapping in the breeze. read more

One thing about "ex-Beacon"...there's always some shit going on. When purchasing a cold beer to go you can always hear a tale about somebody's old man who left em', another about how their part is almost in from the auto parts store to fix their 78' Econoline, or even a tale of a night on meth gone awry. Got duct tape? Feel free to help somebody repair their bike in the parking lot. Solid service and good folk all around. If any city council members are reading this, I suggest you spend a day there. read more

I really don't have a problem showing my driver licence when buying a cold beer is understandable but is not understandeble is that they have kids asking for I ds when they you so under age lol I think that's very funny and weir and every time I see the store manager she's rude I have never never but never see her smile she's always mad this place is a drug paradise read more

A Tweaker's Paradise! It's a great place to go if you want to be offered stolen property from the back of a van. (Yes, this really happened to me.) But's not such a great place to buy gas. Your desire (or lack thereof) to spend time here will be directly proportional to the amount of psychostimulants and/or opioids in your system. read more

This is my go-to place for gas, or, I should say that it has been. Starting last summer, there were a number of occasions when they were out of gas, at a few of the pumps, then it happened again, twice, within the past couple of weeks. Then, today, there isn't any gas at all available. The whole place is cordoned off. Call me weird, but I think that a gas station should actually reliably have gas available. I know it's a busy spot, but surely they can plan for that? Apparently not. read more

This place is just GROSS! I mean the owners of this establishment is part of the problem with the Santa Cruz homeless and vagrant problem plaguing this town! I don't know if this store is corporate owned or localyl owned, but they are doing an unacceptable job in keeping this place safe and clean. I came here last night on my way into town. There were homeless rummaging through 2 separate garbage cans. A group of five hanging around the air and water fill up. All looked like they hadn't showered in a century and lurking for something to steal out of your car. This place is just dirty and I'm disappointed that the owners allow for this place to be frequented by these undesirables. I guess they don't really care what our city looks like, just how many cans of Steel Reserves they sell! read more

I just put $21 of fuel in my car, and I was told I had to pay for air! I paid the $1.50 this time but this is the last time Valero sees money from me. Enjoy taking the money from tweakers because that's all you will get after this. FYI - 1999 law states you cannot charge for air. I will be reporting your station for this. read more

Cheap gas and it's proximity to the freeway make this the best gas station on Ocean St.

I am pretty sure this is where bad neighborhoods are born. This is the shadiest, lock your car, vagrant gas station in all of santa cruz. I literally saw a car pull up that had all the windows busted out and the person hot wiring the car to start it. That being said, i still go here because the gas is cheap. read more

Don't treat your customers who are in your store badly no matter what or it will make them continue to treat you the same back! Nice breeds nice! Just my personal advice after 20 plus years of customer service. Before today I would give this store at least 4 stars. If management does something about the way the one new day shift employees has been treating people after he has been having a bad day then maybe I could update this review. I really am upset with the way the new employees are treating the people who come in every single day because they work or live close to this store. I'm talking also about the people who don't cause trouble or give them a hard time. We all know in this area that a lot of BS is endured but please don't take it out on others. Even the dirty, stinky and just down right gross people who come in this store may be more understanding when they are asked to leave if it's asked nicely for once. A power trip never will make stupid people suddenly have the ability to comprehend & have reasoning skills. Being a grumpy poop and expressing it will only make the good people who treat the cashiers nicely start to give back what is given to them. Treat even the mean people nice and you will find that over time they will start to mimic the same behavior! Human behavior 101! :-) read more

Wow so grosss the cashier was cutting her nails on front of me and a pice of her finger nail hit my eye all she said is sorry gross lady do that at home if a I get a eye infection I'm coming back o hope your manger calls me . read more

Cheap gas but the slowest pump in the history of gasoline pumping, I had to give it after 10 minutes and only half a tank