LANGLEY, Wash. — There are approximately 114 billion pennies in circulation in the United States.

That works out to $1.14 billion, but it seems most of them are in jars at the back of a bedroom closet or stuck to the bottom of your car's cupholder.

Pennies have become so unpopular the U.S. Mint plans to phase out the copper coin next year, but one Whidbey Island business is getting ahead of the game.

The Star Store in Langley, operated by Gene and Tamar Felton for 41 years, decided to eliminate pennies immediately by rounding each transaction down to the nearest nickel. During their four decades running the store, the Feltons have witnessed a dramatic shift in payment methods.

In the early days, customers paid with cash, checks, and layaway plans or simply put purchases on account. W

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