Mammoth Shell Mart

Avoid this place, it’s run by a bunch of crooked staff. I walked into the store looking for chains for my rental vehicle. The tires were 255÷65÷18 as noted on the side of the tires. I looked at all the cables and chains that they carried and only one model which was the most available and the most expensive would fit those tires as noted on the box. I then carried the box to the counter and paid for it. Here’s where it gets interesting. There were no signs posted that a) their chains may not fit your tires no matter what size is noted on the box, b) there were no signs posted anywhere near the chains that they could not be returned and c) when I paid for it, they did not say they could not be returned either.
We started the transaction at the counter, there was no way they could scan the item as it was not in their database. The guy proceeded to try and teach the other staff person on how to ring up the item. Apparently, the snow chains were $ 109.95 (little sticker on the box, not noted anywhere else) + tax but they could not scan it nor could they key in such an amount on the cash register. They proceeded to charge 4 x $ 25 transactions as «groceries» then finally charged a $ 0.45 transaction so the total with tax came to $ 110.00. Obviously they couldn’t do math that well. They thought it was wrong so they cancelled the transaction, went to a calculator then came back to do the same thing again. After doing the same thing on round 3 of trying and other customers starting to back up, they finally said yes, the $ 110 was correct, so I paid for it. Throughout the whole time, they did not say that there would be no returns nor that their chains would not fit the tire sizes noted on the box and they could be shorter than what is said on the box.
I brought the chains back to where my rental SUV was parked and proceeded to try and put the chains on. They came up short. After trying multiple times and some locals tried to help as well, everyone agreed that the chains were just too short, they should not be this impossible to connect. I brought the chains back to the shop and the staff immediately turned nasty. They shouted at me when I said I was returning the defective chains. They brought out a laminated sign from behind the counter that said no refund on snow chains. They said I did not consult them before buying the chains and it was my fault for buying them, not their fault for selling mislabeled and defective products. It was surprising how quickly they brought out that laminated sign and how they knew that even though the boxes were labeled they had another «book» that only they had access to and could refer to to tell me that the box that I got would not fit my tires and that if I had consulted them first, they would have referred to this «book» and told me that they had nothing that fit my rental car tires. Should they not have put this «book» next to the chains for the customers to refer to? If they already knew the products they carried were mislabeled and short, shouldn’t they have a sign posted telling customers that or warned them when they paid for the product? Why would they carry defective products that they knew were defective? Don’t they know that this could result in a lot of lost lives? Why would they have such a convenient no refund no return policy?
The only conclusion is that this place is run by a bunch of crooks with no regard for human lives.

Sight for soar eyes, convenient location and customer service was excellent! Aside from getting gas, they sell chains (unfortunately did not have our size), have clean restrooms, lots of snacks, drink, some supplies and of course, souvenirs, which I got a couple of hanging ornaments that I’m turning into fridge magnets, because of their size (I’ll post a photo later). The clerk was very helpful and tried helping us w/​her knowledge.
If you have to make a pitstop or get gas, do it here.

I was passing through Mammoth the other night with my girlfriend. we were trying to find a hotel room for the night, however everything was booked for a good 200+ miles down the road. We stopped here at the Shell station, because as much as I wanted a hotel room– I really needed to poop. I went in around 10:30pm, and the store hours posted said open until midnight. I was a bit backed up, and needless to say it took longer than usual. The guy working knocked on the door after about 20 minutes to check on me– I responded politely and apologetically for taking so long. Another 20 minutes or so and I come out, grab a couple items to purchase. I reach the register, apologize again, crack a joke, etc– The guy won’t even look at me let alone speak. He just runs the card and gives me the receipt. So I walk outside to find a couple police officers harassing my girlfriend in the car. I ask them if I can help them and they immediately accuse me of stealing the items I had just purchased. They then ask me why I was taking so long in the bathroom. WTF?! Are you serious? The douche working the gas station called the police because I took over 40 minutes in the bathroom! I told them I was backed up, so it took longer than usual. but really?! The police for $hitting. Mammoth Lakes literally has a$$hole police. I then confronted the guy working. and he said he wanted to get all of his cleaning duties done before closing at midnight. so he had to make sure no one was in the store. Instead of waiting patiently, or even communicating to me– he calls the cops. I never buy Shell gasoline, and figured they would only be good for a nice #2. but no. I should have just waited the 6 miles to the next rest stop with the nice clean quiet bathrooms with no copsuckers present.

OK, so I’ve been getting gas at this station for many, many years but now I will never go back. Weird experience — I parked near the Shell in a parking lot and grabbed some breakfast with the intention of getting gas once done. There are no signs regarding parking in this center, as there are a ton of businesses sharing a couple of spaces and apparently that’s the way the property manager wants it to be. So, while I am in the Breakfast Club (great place) some really crazy employee from Shell comes in and starts yelling at me to move my car (well, she yelled for the owner of «that car» to move it), telling us she would have it towed and that we owed her $ 20 for parking fees. I thought she was just some crazy homeless person (like in New York), but she was, in fact, an employee of Shell and she expected to be given $ 20 and apparently usually got it from people!!! She was very, very rude and demanding and condescending. She agreed there was no sign about parking (meaning there was no assigned parking in the lot) but said I should just know that the parking lot was not for any other business in the center, just for Shell. I told her extortion was illegal and she just got angrier and threatened to call the cops (on herself???). I went into the store to make sure she was real and the other two employees (they may have been a family, as they were all equally unattractive people both physically and personality-​wise) and those employees also backed her up and said that they don’t allow anyone to park anywhere near their store. So I bought a pack of gum to prove that I had a right to park there and left — no gas for me from that station that day or ever again. They knew that I intended to get gas and they could care less — it’s obviously not their store and they are apparently making a good business out of scamming people out of $ 20 instead! I’m sure some people are scared enough to just pay them so they’ll go away (they were very scary people — luckily I am not easily intimidated by rude people) Other store owners confirmed that this girl does this all the time! Whoever owns the Shell does not even know it’s happening! I wish I could find the owner of the Shell and tell him what’s happening — the other store owners came out to help me and said they were upset because she is also chasing away their own customers by being so rude! Hopefully they will tell the property manager and the Shell station owner to fire those crazy people. It was such an upsetting experience — totally wrecked my day in Mammoth. Don’t go there if those three are on duty — its easy to spot those specific employees as they truly are unattractive people and most people in Mammoth don’t fit that description.

On Main and Mammoth! Great location. Nice and hilarious staff!
On the way back to the road so it’s not the best price but convenience is important when a storm is on the way. Lots of ways out of the station so it’s comfortable to drive in and out of it.
Thanks Shell! Filling up here saved our life! We would’ve been screwed if we didn’t since we were stuck waiting for the police escorts!
:)