thread for sketchy convenience stores

These places fascinate me. They have a particular vibe, like everyone's a little bit on edge. And/or a little bit on meth. Usually off-brand, sometimes occupying a store that used to be part of a franchise. Often poorly lit. Assorted synthetic narcotics for sale by the register. Sometimes a shelf of DVDs or VHS tapes in the back.

We have one near us, and it's funny because it's in a section with like three or four convenience stores within a mile or so, but the one nearest us is the designated sketchy one. It actually is part of a chain, but was just sold. Cop cars in the parking lot a lot with lights flashing. My oldest son walks down there to buy potato chips. I sort of worry about it, but I also figure it's good for street smarts.

There’s a gas station near me that peddles suspicious “legal” narcotics, ED pills, etc from the glassed-in booth. Everyone who works there seems on the level but there’s a very Blade Runner/“welcome to the end of the world, pal” energy to the goods on display. This is in Baltimore County, Maryland.

When I lived in Austin, Texas, I worked in south Austin near the airport and had to navigate a stretch of highway to get to the express tolled road north to get home. That highway was always under construction and the area felt like it was on the skids in a particular way. One day I went to a convenience store/gas station (I can’t remember what for) and while I can’t remember the scene specifically there was a very real sense that anything could happen, of anarchy. I was extremely aware of everything at all times just on general principle.

Separately:
We could talk about 7/11s overall, but that’s a different thread maybe.

Regarding the Texas memory - that was from 2012/2013.

A lot in Oakland are run by Yemenis - I haven't noticed anything all that sketchy except for khat chewing (which is legal, as far as I know), and the owner by my old apartment showed me a revolver he kept in a small wooden box

Oh yeah, tons of herbal boner pills and stuff but I'm not sure anyone actually buys those