space age travel center castle rock

Stunning Skylight and More at Space Age Travel Center

• By Amy Toner
• April 11, 2024
• NATSO Articles
• Truckstop Business
• Marketing & Retail
• Member Profile
• Merchandizing

This past year I enjoyed visiting the Space Age Travel Center in Castle Rock, Washington.

Space Age Fuel is a family-owned business created in 1982.

Harold and Jim Pliska, father and son, have more than 60 years of petroleum experience between them. Space Age operates 21 locations and supplies another 60 retail and wholesale fueling facilities.

Planning for the Castle Rock facility started about three years before crews broke ground in mid-2021. The $10 million truck stop is located at I-5’s exit 52.

Today, the location includes an 11,000-square-foot building with a travel center and an A&W fast-food restaurant.

The site also has a parking lot with roughly 90 truck spaces, ten showers, and a lounge with seats, tables, Wi-Fi and a TV to relax between shifts.

The location is beautifully branded, open, inviting and meticulously merchandised.

Here are just a few of the many things that make the location out of this world .

Mission Merchandise

The location is meticulously merchandised, with particular attention to customers’ needs. Among other standouts is a section for kids, a carefully crafted section of men’s products and racks of products not often seen. The displays are changed frequently, with plenty of space between racks to encourage browsing.

Skylight to the Stars

The state-of-the-art travel center boasts a stunning skylight that spans the entire travel center. The skylight improves the use of natural light within the facility and creates a warm atmosphere.

No Black Holes at This Transaction Counter

The transaction counter was built with the need for speed in mind. Located in the center of the facility, it allows for quick checkout. A break in the middle of the counter was added later to let employees get in and out of the space more efficiently.

The Atmosphere is Clear

Like all Space Age Travel Centers, the branding at the location was a standout. The branding is consistently executed, from the fuel canopy to the coffee counter to the signage.

// This article was created for  Stop Watch magazine , the magazine of the NATSO Foundation.  The  NATSO Foundation  is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The NATSO Foundation provides programs and products to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the traveling public's needs through improved operational performance and business planning. Visit  www.natsofoundation.org  for more information. ( Donate to the NATSO Foundation here. )

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• Castle Rock

Space Age Travel Center

9515 Old Pacific Hwy N, Castle Rock , Washington 98611 USA

• Independent

Learn more about this business on Yelp .

Reviewed by Ben C.

The town is Castle Rock. This is their tourist attraction ~ a ginormous gas station that invites you to pump, eat & shop all-in-one. Sometimes more than not you can search for hidden Sasquatch... Read more

Reviewed by David M.

Nice and clean restrooms were clean lots of them.. all kinds of food and drinks snacks a supply of a little of everything car freshener, gloves like a mini store and everyone is nice oh and lots... Read more

Reviewed by Jennifer W.

We've been curious & stopped by to check out this new truck stop. It was massive, well organized and very clean. We decided to get food from A&W. It was super yummy & well priced. It didn't take... Read more

View 21 reviews on

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Gas station, truck stop break ground along I-5, north of Castle Rock

CASTLE ROCK — Drivers along Interstate 5, just north of Castle Rock, should have a new place to fill up and rest next summer.

Crews broke ground this July on a roughly $10 million gas station, convenience store and truck stop at I-5’s exit 52, said the developer, Jim Pliska. The Space Age Fuel Castle Rock Travel Center is being built on about 11 acres off the northbound I-5 exit for Barnes Drive and Toutle Park Road, near the Toutle River, and is expected to open by July 2022.

Pliska said the facility is being built for all travelers, including truckers. The site will offer a roughly 11,000 square-foot building with a convenience store and an A&W fast-food restaurant, he said. The parking lot will offer roughly 90 truck spaces, and drivers can use about 10 showers and a lounge with seats, tables, Wi-Fi and a TV to relax between shifts.

Pliska said his company operates a similar travel center in Hermiston, Ore., off Interstate 84. He said the northern Castle Rock highway will be another busy spot for travelers.

“I think it’s a great location — partway from Portland to Seattle — with a lot of interstate traffic there,” he said.

Pliska owns Space Age Fuel, a family-owned petroleum business based in Portland, which operates 21 gas stations in Oregon and Washington, and also offers home heating options. He said planning for the Castle Rock facility started about three years ago.

Cowlitz County building and planning deputy director Michael Wilson said the site’s main building was permitted in December 2020, while the highway sign was permitted in May, and grading was permitted in June. The site is not in the city of Castle Rock, but in unincorporated Cowlitz County.

Pliska said the center will bring new food and retail options to the area, as well as 70 full and part-time jobs.

“We’ll be providing some services that aren’t already provided there,” he said. “We’re super-competitive on prices, and we’ll bring jobs to the community too.”

Related Stories

Gas Station and Truck Stop Break Ground on 11 Acres This Summer Along I-5, North of Castle Rock

Drivers along Interstate 5, just north of Castle Rock, should have a new place to fill up and rest next summer.

Crews broke ground this July on a roughly $10 million gas station, convenience store and truck stop at I-5’s exit 52, said the developer, Jim Pliska. The Space Age Fuel Castle Rock Travel Center is being built on about 11 acres off the northbound I-5 exit for Barnes Drive and Toutle Park Road, near the Toutle River, and is expected to open by July 2022.

Pliska said the facility is being built for all travelers, including truckers. The site will offer a roughly 11,000 square-foot building with a convenience store and an A&W fast-food restaurant, he said. The parking lot will offer roughly 90 truck spaces, and drivers can use about 10 showers and a lounge with seats, tables, Wi-Fi and a TV to relax between shifts.

Pliska said his company operates a similar travel center in Hermiston, Oregon, off Interstate 84. He said the northern Castle Rock highway will be another busy spot for travelers.

“I think it’s a great location — partway from Portland to Seattle — with a lot of interstate traffic there,” he said.

Pliska owns Space Age Fuel, a family-owned petroleum business based in Portland, which operates 21 gas stations in Oregon and Washington, and also offers home heating options. He said planning for the Castle Rock facility started about three years ago.

Cowlitz County building and planning deputy director Michael Wilson said the site’s main building was permitted in December 2020, while the highway sign was permitted in May, and grading was permitted in June. The site is not in the city of Castle Rock, but in unincorporated Cowlitz County.

Pliska said the center will bring new food and retail options to the area, as well as 70 full- and part-time jobs.

“We’ll be providing some services that aren’t already provided there,” he said.

“We’re super-competitive on prices, and we’ll bring jobs to the community too.”

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Space Age Fuel, Inc.

Pit-stops, supplies, and service that

Exceeds Your Expectations

Space Age Fuel, a family owned business, was incorporated in 1982. The principals in the business, Harold and Jim Pliska, are father and son and have 60 years of petroleum experience between them. Our office and sales staff are very knowledgeable, with over 58 years in the industry.

With this experience we have witnessed many changes in the petroleum industry and are constantly modifying our business to keep up with the ever-changing market. One thing always remains the same . . .

Our service and loyalty to our customers.

RETAIL GAS STATIONS

Space Age Fuel is committed to the continual growth and modernization of their retail chain of fuel and convenience stores. Space operates predominately under the Space Age brand along with the Exxon and Union 76 brands

Affordable Gas & Diesel Fuel

Restaurants, Food & Snacks

Convenience Center

Truck Stops, Showers & Laundry

Ammenities vary by location

FIND LOCATIONS

As a trucker, I almost always stop here, headed in or out of Portland. Diesel prices are best in area for OR. . . .This place blows the doors off the nearby Pilot, as far as truckstop amenities.

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Whether you’re an unbranded gasoline station, construction company, trucking company or farm, Space Age Fuel can service all your petroleum needs, from all grades of gasoline and diesel fuel to 24/7 customer support.

Contractual Supply

Inventory Management

Market Information

Retail Branding Programs

These people are really wonderful and they go above and beyond to help their customers. Finding this sort of service is rare these days.

Space Age Fuel provides delivery service to any Oregon, Washington, or Western Idaho location. Our dispatching team works 24/7, and our trucks are all equipped with state-of-the-art GPS systems, so that we can give you up-to-the-minute updates on your delivery.

Truck Fleets

Our Locations

Corporate Office

Beaverton, or, gresham, or, hermiston, or, lake oswego, or, north plains, or, portland, or, battleground, wa.

CORPORATE OFFICE

THE COMPANY OF TOMORROW SERVING YOU TODAY

Space Age Travel Center

PROJECT NOTES

Castle Rock, WA

This project was designed with input from the owner’s team, equipment supplier, and interior graphics designer.

MRP Design Group provided the preliminary design leading to development of complete permit, bid, and construction drawings including architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and equipment plan and schedules.

This state-of-the-art travel center boasts a stunning skylight that spans the entire length of the main shopping area.  This skylight improves the use of natural light within the facility and reduces the artificial lighting requirement.  This full-service auto and truck facility was designed to provide ample amenities to over-the-road drivers including: showers, charging station, and lounge.  In addition, this beautiful facility provides a self-serve fueling canopy for cars as well as a full-service restaurant providing eat-in and carry-out services throughout the day.

MRP also worked with A&W corporate to develop the full service restaurant. MRP worked with client and their selected general contractor through the construction phase to provide shop drawing review and to participate in weekly construction schedule updates. MRP also coordinated with the various suppliers during design and construction. This facility opened to great sales performance.

November 30, 2022

Space Age Fuel

RETAIL FUELING