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Footage of the corner store's interesting choice of ambiance has gone viral on Reddit, in a video that claims it's the station's tactic to keep away homeless residents.
"This is a common act for stores to do this as a hostile reaction to houseless neighbors," one resident opined in a Facebook group. "The lights and music deter them from being able to sleep at night so they're pushed away to find new spaces," they continued.
"Until they do something about all the loitering, panhandling, drug dealing and other illicit activities going on there... business owners have to be creative," wrote another commenter.
Calls to the gas station went unanswered Thursday morning.
Asked if neighborhood residents had filed any noise complaints, Philadelphia police did not immediately return a request for comment. Still, some neighborhood residents on social media claimed they could hear the music in their homes with the windows closed.
According to the city's Office of Homeless Services' 2022 point-in-time count, an estimated 4,489 Philly residents experienced homelessness last year. The "good news," OHS officials wrote, was that the number of unhoused residents had fallen by 22 percent as compared to five years prior.
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, resources are available. The Homelessness Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours daily by calling 215-686-7177. A list of city-funded intake shelters is also available on the OHS website.
Residents who are under 24 and experiencing homelessness can contact a Youth Access Point, OHS says, and domestic violence survivors are encouraged to call Women Against Abuse 24 hours daily at 866-723-3014.
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