Circle K Scrap Metal at 66 Co Rd 800, Calera, AL 35040

Back when this place was Circle K, it was solid—good people, smooth process, no hassle. Now? Total mess. The staff acts like they’re doing you a favor just being there, and the whole weighing system is a joke. You drive over the main scale, unload, then have to backtrack to the main scale again, only to circle around a line of traffic just to sit and wait forever because there’s no parking near the small scale. Doesn’t matter if you show up at 6 AM or 9 PM—you’re still stuck waiting. One time, I sat in my truck for *forty minutes* before someone even acknowledged me. And the prices? A steal—like, literally. They’re so low compared to other yards, it’s insulting. Oh, and the best part? You can’t even *see* the weight because it’s hidden inside some building. Who designed this nightmare? ---

Look, I get it—business hours change. But if your Google page says you’re open, *actually be open*. I drove 20 minutes out of my way, only to pull up and see the gate locked, the lights off, and zero sign of life. Wasted gas, wasted time, and for what? A page that hasn’t been updated in who knows how long. Just… fix it. It’s not rocket science. ---

Arthritis makes everything harder, but this place just rubs it in your face. Used to be easy—drop off, get paid, done. Now? The new owners turned it into an obstacle course. No railings to grab onto, so I’m basically crawling onto the payment platform just to get my money. And when I do? It’s a joke. Half—no, less than half—of what I used to get. Not worth the trip anymore. ---

This place used to be a goldmine when the old owners ran it—fast, fair, and friendly. Now? It’s a circus. I spent *two hours* there last week, and by the end, I was ready to throw my hands up. The new owners act like they reinvented the scrap yard, but all they did was make everything ten times harder. The whole drop-off process is a maze—jump through hoops, zigzag across the lot, wait forever. And for what? A check that’s a fraction of what it used to be. Last year, a haul like that would’ve been $300+. This time? $130. I’ve been coming here for years, and now it’s just a headache. Not worth the stress. If you care about your customers, take notes from the old crew—because this? This is a disaster. ---

Circle K was my go-to for years—quick, fair, no nonsense. Now? A total scam. I showed up with a haul that should’ve been worth a few hundred, like always. Instead, they told me I needed *five or six* holes for freon cans—even though one was clearly empty. And the payout? $130. That’s it. $130 for what used to be a solid payday. The whole place is chaos, and I’m done. Time to find a yard that doesn’t treat customers like ATMs with broken buttons. Never coming back.