Like shopping at Ukrop's? How about saving money on gas?
If so, you're really going to like a new plan unveiled today by Ukrop's and Uppy's.
Simply use your Ukrop's valued customer card at the grocery store and for every $50 you spend, you get 10 cents off each gallon of gas when you fill up at participating Uppy's convenience stores.
You don't have to spend $50 all at once. The money will accumulate on your customer card, and you can see how much you will save on your grocery receipt.
When you go to the Uppy's gas station, the pump will ask you to swipe your valued customer card if you have one and then immediately reduce the price on the pump in front of you. For example, if the price is $3.90 per gallon, and you've bought $100 in groceries using your customer card, you'll get 20 cents off your gas purchase.
You will literally see the price on the pump drop from $3.90 to $3.70 for your entire fueling purchase.
The program goes into effect Monday at 7 a.m. at 14 Richmond-area, Uppy's-run stores before expanding to 35 gas stations by the end of September. Though the Fuelperks points will expire after three months, the program itself will run indefinitely, according to the men behind the program, Steven Uphoff and Bobby Ukrop.
"We believe Fuelperks will change the way Richmonders buy their fuel," Uphoff said. "It's about two local family businesses working together ... to save you money on the two things you buy the most: gas and groceries."
Uphoff said it's been a "technological nightmare" to update the pumps, but that it was worth it because of the instant gratification.
"There's no rebate," he said. "It's done instantly."
If two people in the same household both have a Ukrop's card, their purchases will be linked and the points will show up on both cards almost instantly, according to Ukrop.
Unfortunately, the key-chain sized Ukrop's cards won't work at the pumps so customers will also have to get a credit-card sized card. A table will be set up at each Ukrop's to help people register for the bigger card. You can still use your key-chain sized card at Ukrop's store and the points will automatically show up on the bigger card.
With Uppy's running more than 100 stores in the Richmond area, how do you know which ones are participating? Well right now, it's the stations closest to Ukrop's stores.
But you can find the stores by checking out three Web sites and plugging in your address:
http://www.10centsoffgas.com/, http://www.ukrops.com/ and http://www.uppys.com/.
As of Monday, here are the gas stations that will be participating:
*Petersburg Food Shop - 3240 S Crater Road, Petersburg, VA 23805
*Libbie Place BP - 5801 W Broad St.,Richmond, VA 23230
*Chippenham BP - 6400 Hull St Road, Richmond, VA 23224
*Uppy's BP - 15418 Patrick Henry Hwy, Amelia, VA 23002
*Minit Mart BP - 1120 Courthouse Road, Richmond, VA 23236
*Uppy's BP - 3310 Church Road, Richmond, VA 23233
*Uppy's BP - 113 Browns Way Road, Midlothian, VA 23114
*Uppy's BP - 2421 W. Hundred Road, Chester, VA 23831
*Airport BP - 5101 S Laburnum Ave., Richmond, VA 23231
*Boulevard BP - 915 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, VA 23834
*Bon Air BP - 8806 Forest Hill Ave., Bon Air, VA 23235
*Gayton BP - 12480 Gayton Road, Richmond, VA 23233
*Fairfield BP - 5051 Nine Mile Road, Richmond, VA 23223
*Temple BP - 961 Temple Ave., Colonial Heights, VA 23834
Coming Later This Summer:
Uppy's BP - 812 England St., Richmond, VA 23005
Uppy's Exxon - 2708 Buford Road, Bon Air, VA 23235
Uppy's Exxon - 11600 Midlothian Tpk, Midlothian, VA 23113
Uppy's Exxon - 7009 Pole Green Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Uppy's Exxon - 10031 Hull St., Richmond, VA 23234
Uppy's Exxon - 2753 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220
Uppy's Exxon - 7041 Commons Plaza, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Uppy's Exxon - 5024 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227
Uppy's Exxon - 8601 Patterson Ave., Richmond, VA 23229
Uppy's Exxon - 3101 Lauderdale Dr., Richmond, VA 23233
Uppy's Exxon - 8208 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23294
Uppy's Exxon - 4710 Williamsburg Road, Richmond, VA 23231
Uppy's Exxon - 7020 Staples Mill Road, Richmond, VA 23228