Rare state gem wraps up final day of business
(Seguin) — The days of having someone else pump your gas, clean your windshield, and check your oil are officially over, at least here in Seguin. Today, Randy’s Exxon, Seguin’s only full-service gas station and inspection center on East Court Street, is saying goodbye to the nostalgic practice.
Owner Randy Moore is closing up shop after 40 years of servicing the vehicle needs of local residents and opening up the bay doors for state vehicle inspections.
The end of Moore’s chapter is another casualty in the dying business model. In fact, he believes there are only 11 full-service gas stations still in existence in Texas.
“It’s been full service (since) around the 40s. I bought this place about 26 years ago. There are probably say about 11 of us left in the state of Texas. Me — I’ve been staying with it for a pretty while so I don’t know if there are anymore out there staying a little longer than me but not too many. This is kind of a family thing (gas station business). It’s been in my family for 55 years. I came from Luling in 1998,” said Moore.
Moore’s decision to close the business follows the state’s move to no longer require safety inspections for vehicles starting Jan. 1, 2025. While it wasn’t the primary decision to say goodbye, he says it did weigh heavily in his decision to retire.
“It was used (inspections) to be able to pay my help and we did a lot of inspections so I saw the writing on the wall. I should have saw the writing on the wall last year but I thought I was going to go ahead and go another seven years and put new pumps in but about two weeks ago, I changed my mind,” said Moore.
Above all, Moore attributes the shutting down of a town staple as God’s timing.
“I think it’s the man upstairs that told me I was going the wrong way so I decided, hey, I’m going to close up and that’s what we are going to do and maybe try to sell this place. If it wasn’t for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I couldn’t get up everyday and all I’m telling you right now is this city is a blessed city. We’ve got a lot of god fearing people. In fact, it’s a great city to raise a family,” said Moore.
Moore adds that since he took over twenty-plus years ago, almost half of his clientele have died. He says it’s just the birth of new generations and the evolution of gas stations.
While things might have changed in the world, there are certainly things that have remained the same at Randy’s over the years. One constant was the duo you got with Randy and longtime employee Jimmy Rosas.
Moore says since the very beginning, Rosas, an inspector, has been working alongside him. He says that, following a 35-year career as a Seguin Fire Fighter, Rosas joined him on day one and has been working with him at the location for the last 22 years.
Rosas says that although today is bittersweet, he is very appreciative of having been a part of the history of the gas station.
“We appreciate everyone that has come through here. It was a long ride for us and we enjoyed every minute of it. We were like mailmen, through rain, snow, sleet, sunshine, we were out there from day one till the final day,” said Rosas.
Although the pumps have officially been shut off, Moore and Rosas say they plan to finish off a full day on the job. They say it will also allow them to say “thank you.”
“I just want to thank the people of Seguin and thank my customers. I’m going to miss this place and also, I’m going to miss seeing some of these familiar faces that I have been seeing for years,” said Moore.
Randy’s Exxon is located at 502 E. Court St.