It's the week before a holiday, and gas prices are moving completely according to form -- except in the Alma/St. Louis/Ithaca market.
Tuesday morning, Speedway appears to have sent word to most, if not all, of its company-owned stations to raise the price for a gallon on unleaded gas to $3.09. That's totally within its right. A business owner can set the price for a product anywhere the owner wants to set it, and see if a) people still buy it, and b) if the competition decides to follow that price.
In most places, according to the prices on posted on michigangasprices.com, the competition followed along, at least for Tuesday. Mt. Pleasant prices moved to around $3.09. Midland-area prices, often held up as "at least a dime cheaper than Mt. Pleasant," moved to around $3.09. All up and down U.S. 127 and I-75, Jackson, Clare, Gaylord, it was $3.09. Sault Ste. Marie was $3.07.
Except in Gratiot County. In Ithaca, the B&B markets and Admiral Tobacco stuck it out, posting the lowest gas prices in the state at $2.73 as of late Wednesday morning. Other stations in Alma, St. Louis and Edmore also were below $2.80.
The break-even point for retailers in mid-Michigan appears to be around $2.95.
Will the low prices last? The last report we had had the Speedway stations in Alma at $3.08.