By Wendy Lamond
If you have ever been caught barbequing for friends or family and realize at the last minute that your propane tank is empty, there is now an option in St. Marys that is available 24/7 to either exchange or purchase a new tank.
On location at Little Falls Car Wash are two new “My Propane Buddy” vending machines that will provide access to 20lb propane tanks that are traditionally used for BBQ’s, fire tables, patio heaters and more.
After selecting the option to exchange or purchase, a voice prompt will guide you through the instructions. For example, if you wish to exchange, a door will open with an empty bay to put your tank in, and another door will open with a full tank. If you don’t have a tank, you can press purchase, and a tank will be available once the door opens. The machines can hold up to 24 tanks on a carousel system. With competitive pricing, the propane buddy will accept debit, credit, Apple pay, and Google pay.
Right now, there are 11 My Propane Buddy locations in this part of Ontario, with six more on the way. The Community Center in Thorndale is also a host location for My Propane Buddy.
The machines are safe and reliable. If the machine senses a propane leak, there is technology built in to deal with that too.
The transaction of getting a tank is quick and takes approximately one minute. You are never waiting for someone to come and help you. My Propane Buddy knows your time is valuable. You pull up, get your tank, and you’re on your way.
Brad Rice, the Director of Business Development for My Buddy Propane, shared that the machines are “Canadian made and are manufactured at 5 Cuddy Blvd. in London near the airport. My Propane Buddy is safe, fast and very convenient”.
Rice told the Independent, “The machines are monitored by a My Propane Buddy team in London to ensure the machines are healthy and that there is inventory ready to sell. We are pleased with our early results and excited to see where our growth takes us.”
When asked how Little Falls Car Wash came to be the location, Rice said that owner, Mayor Al Strathdee, liked the idea when it was presented to him, and it seemed a good fit as all other services at that location are self-served and do not require any staff on site.
More information can be found at mypropanebuddy.com.
Comments