A new convenience store selling Union 76 brand of gasoline opened in the Ceres Gateway in a building shared with Nick the Greek.

The Ceres Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of the new store, the last retail piece of Ceres’ newest shopping center – located near Highway 99 on Mitchell Road. Attending were Chamber President Brandy Meyer, Mayor Javier Lopez, Police Chief Chris Perry and fire officials. A DJ came out and raffles were part of the celebration as well as nine vendors giving out snack and drink samples.

“We’re rocking and rolling,” said operations manager Sunny Kumria.

The 4,000-square-foot store is connected to Nick the Greek which also opened on Dec. 3.

Kumria, who formerly owned the Hughson Chevron station on Whitmore Avenue before it sold in 2017, said the gas prices at Union 76 are cheaper than Chevron and Shell stations. The store also has a “beer cave,” or walk-in cooler.

“A lot of people like that,” said Kumria. “It’s a new thing a lot of stores are doing.”

The cooler has 16 doors enabled the store to sell “a lot inventory than average of gas stations.”

The gas pumps and store will be open 24 hours a day and will come as a convenient place for those visiting the center’s myriad of fast food restaurants as well as those staying in the soon-to-open Woodspring Inn & Suites on the premises. Once the hotel opens that will be the final piece of the shopping center.

The store is owned by family members Sunny Ghai and son Harshraj Ghai, and nephew Jagpreet Sawhney.

“With my experience and knowledge in the gas station field, having them bring me onboard definitely makes life easier for them,” commented Kumria.