He said the man was wearing a bag slung across the front of his body and was holding the handle of a weapon which was sticking out of it.
He said he did not think the weapon was a gun and thought it may have been a long knife of some sort.
"He just walked straight behind the counter and asked me for money."
Hawke's Bay police said they were still investigating the robbery.
They described the alleged offender's vehicle as a "brownish older style hatchback four-door in the shape of an older style Ford Telstar or Laser".
Police are asking for any sightings of this vehicle and its occupants.
There was another staff member in the store at the time, but Mr Patel said the incident was still frightening.
Despite the shake-up he said he still felt safe in the Greenmeadows area and was happy to continue going to work at the store.
Mr Patel said people just wanted money and cigarettes.
While only $300 was taken because the store had only just opened he said smokes were so expensive now people would go to extremes to get them.
He said he has owned the store for three years and while people had grabbed and run before, with wine and beer, from the store it was worrying to be held up in such such close succession.
Waipawa Four Square Store manager, Jody Lovett, spoke of similar experiences.
She said while robbers had been into the store a few times to steal cigarettes, Monday nightwas the first time staff had been held up at the store.
Money and cigarettes were stolen when the robbers came into the store right on closing time at 8pm.
She said she was aware of other Four Squares being robbed in the region over the past months.
"You hope that it would never happen to you, and you say it would never happen to you, but you never know."
Foodstuffs head of external relations Antoinette Laird said the company had very good security measures in place.
"Our concerns, in these situation are always for the safety and well being of our staff and customers."
On Tuesday Zabeels bar was robbed right on opening at about 9.30am.
Two men had entered the premises armed with a weapon and demanded cash.
They left with an undisclosed sum of money.
The offenders were seen leaving the scene in an older-style, red four-door vehicle at speed along King St towards St Aubyn St.
One robber was described as of solid build, about 1.83m tall and wearing a maroon hoodie with a white circular pattern on the front. He was also wearing black and navy tracksuit pants with a white stripe, and skate shoes.
The second was described as Maori and wearing a black cap and sunglasses, black jacket and track pants.
Police ask anyone with relevant information to contact the Hastings police. Alternatively, information could be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
