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Recent headlines announcing Hess Corporation's exit from the energy marketing and refining end of its global business will not affect what is perhaps its second-most-coveted consumer item after the petrol: the Hess Toy Truck.
"The toy trucks which have been a tradition for 48 years will continue," a Hess spokesperson said, adding that "this November, the company will continue to sell the trucks at their stores."
Since 1964, Hess Corporation has sold its classic toy trucks; offering a variety of collectible miniature trucks to consumers at the start of the holiday season each year in November.
Despite the corporation's impending closure of its 1,350 retail gas stations, consumers will still be able to find the eclectic toys at Hess convenience stores next year, the spokesperson said. The new toy trucks are only available at Hess stores.
According to the official Hess Toy Truck website, Leon Hess, the founder of Hess, came up with the idea of manufacturing a fun and affordable toy for families during the holiday season.
The first Hess Toy Truck—a tanker that could be filled with water and emptied through its delivery hose—went on sale for $1.29. Over the years, other models became available for sale including helicopters, a police car, an airplane and a space shuttle. There is also a Hess Toy Truck Float in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
On collector website GoHess.com, some of the original Hess trucks, which were made by the Marx Toy Company in the 1960s, are estimated to be worth $700 to $2,000. Currently, eBay also has the original trucks selling for similar prices.
Mark OTool
5:16 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
A shame Hess is leaving. Good company with decent employees at their retail stations. Wish I could say the same for some of these other Foreign oil companies and their foreign staff.
lisa
7:57 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I agree the staff are friendly,polite and helpful. The stores and the employees are also clean and professional and most of all you can communicate with them unlike the foreign stations.
Inez Nedrick
10:39 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
@mark....i totally agree!!!! too many of our own "locals" could use a job, but i noticed years ago that every gas station now are owned and operated by foreigners!! WTH! SMH!
cynicinmarlboro
5:42 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
So instead of being able to get the trucks at any Hess station (and aren't all of them gas stations?), you will have to specifically look for convenience store locations without gas (will that even be possible?). Anyone look for one locally? I found two but they are not close. Perhaps they should also look at selling on the internet to make it more convenient for those who collect. Wouldn't be worth the extra gas to search for these (in)convenient locations!
Patricia White
7:00 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Not to worry. I ordered trucks for my grandsons over the internet this past Christmas. They had a very user-friendly website and got the trucks out promptly.
Jack
7:45 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Nice to hear that they well still be selling the Hess Truck hate to see Hess close up but I don't even get my gas there more anyway. Oh and there too many Wawa down here in Ocean Co, NJ.
gam
1:20 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Sell the Jets?????????????
paulie
10:01 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
@gam - Hess has not owned the jets for two decades - where the heck have you been?
NJarhead
10:25 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Has it been decades already? Wow.
gam
11:15 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Well aware that the Jets were sold years ago..that was posted yesterday in response to a post which has since been removed...
CM
7:36 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
People are so distracted by the toys, yet the real story is the closure of it's NJ refinery due to EPA regulations. And the price of gas keeps going higher.......
NotDifficult
8:11 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
" Hess said it was leaving the gasoline refining business because of weak demand and the cost of complying with E.P.A. regulations. "
You are correct that Hess is closing their refineries rather than pay the cost to comply with the EPA regulations that may prevent us from being poisoned.
NotDifficult
8:13 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
and the price can and should go up until we start using alternative clean sources of energy (eg biofuels & electricity)
gam
11:17 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I too used to buy Hess trucks for some of the younger kids in the family but now without something to associated them with I will not buy them any longer.
Alex Viecelli
1:50 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I worked for Leon Hess and I can tell you that man loved his trucks. Every Hess tractor had Hess written across the roof so when we were in NYC people looking out the windows of the high rise buildings could tell it was a Hess Truck. He would also look at the window from his Park Av townhouse and if he saw a dirty truck in the winter he will call the main office and have every truck taken off the road and washed.
MY town
4:12 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
It's a shame the newer trucks will never reach the same value of the originals. Too many collectors equals a flooded market . A dime a dozen now