Flying J in Breezewood, PA is closed

The turnpike is to expensive, so most of us
Just run I-80 across, then drop down.

When I'm actually on the turnpike, the breezewood
Exit is too much of a pain in the ### to get in and out
Off, so I just blow by it.

 

Regardless of the turnpike costs I don’t think it had much of anything to do with this J closing up shop. As someone else mentioned there was quite a bit of politicking involved with the building itself and the lots. I was in there a month or so before it went under and the cashier gentleman told me the original owners had sold it to Indians, Indians let it go, original owners were in the process of reacquiring it but things weren’t looking good. Then the upper parking lot was a whole different story. Apparently there was some truth to that. I’d imagine this is why PFJ hasn’t absorbed it as a corporate location and probably never will now. At the end it was still quite busy but they just completely let the place go. Maybe 3-4 working pumps, terrible restrooms and showers, no restaurant and the deli was pathetic. Even the drink coolers started getting slim which is a good indicator of things to come. Too bad it’s gone as it was a well needed large parking lot and I tried to patronize as much as possible; but it got frustrating to stop at towards the end, not surprised they went under

 

I remember having a nice dinner with the wife in that Perkins when I first started trucking. It's been downhill ever since. The next time I stopped by the Perkins had closed half the seating, then the Perkins itself was closed (here I thought it was temporary.) I'd noticed the huge line of "shops" in the basement and wondered what it was like in the "glory days" of trucking. The last time I went was because the lot at the TA was full, the "store" was 3/4 empty and everything was pushed up next to the fuel desk. I've seen more inventory in a gas station.

I find it interesting that somewhere along the line the property of the lot got separated from the property of the store. Reguardless of who owns it, I wonder what the plan is for the property? Someone said Indians, does that mean another micro casino? Sheesh. Doubt anyone will make another truck stop but Rutters & Sheetz are both PA companies so there's a possibility.

Will I ever stop in Breezewood again? Well, in theory, I should have never stopped there in the first place. It's too close to "home" to be food or fuel stop, kinda expensive to get off and on again, even with the premiums the plazas charge, not exactly a vacation destination. But sometimes the weather comes in, hours run down, fuel burns too fast and other unpredictable variables of a day and I need a spot I didn't plan on. So I'll have Breezewood as a place to stop, but it's not exactly a 4 star location, and it seems to be getting worse, not better.