Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Any Real Service Stations Left In Your Town?

Tonight as I was having a bite to eat at the local Citgo c-Store in my hometown as the
cars came and went I thought it sure would be nice if there was still a real gas station left....You know...the genuine thing where your gas was pumped, oil checked, plus there was free air for your tires, and a local guy either owned or ran the place. A station where you could still get a Coke and a candy bar, and a kid could get his bike fixed. I haven't heard the phrase "Fill 'er up" in many years. Today instead, I hear..."Pump five's on for cash payment inside...for the yellow truck." Not very personal, that's for sure!

Joe if by chance you go through Abbotsford Wisconsin gas up a Cliff's Service. Bruce the owner will be in the shop changing mufflers, tires or whatever you need done. Brad will answer the bell and give you the full service including cleaning your windshield. The station is run by the 3rd generation. I have a black and white of the station when it was Standard and all the pumps had globes and 2 brick pillars also had Crowns on them and a Polarine thermometer on the corner of the building. If you stop in the morning you may hit the 3 or 4 guys going over last nights council meeting or the local high school sports event. Although the building is remodeled there is still a touch of the old SERVICE Station here.

In my town of 65,000 people there are three full service stations left, one of them owned by my best friend (the other two are somewhat substandard for obvious reasons!! LOL!! )
You must give anyone credit today that still runs and maintains one of these, they have defied the rules and kept a little bit of American history alive.
Blood, sweat and tears do still mean something!

Neal

Well, for fear of emitting jealousy in everyone, I must say that we are very spoiled in Minnesota to still have full-service...and for less than what most of the country pays for no-service (self-service). At the station where I fill up each week (and I do say, "Fill 'er up!"), an attendant pumps the gas, checks the oil, washes every window on my car (front/back/all side windows), etc. And he even smiles and says "thank you" when I leave! All this, and I never have to step foot outside my car...especially helpful when Minnesota temperatures fall below -50 degrees in the winter (no, that's not a typo...50 degrees below zero!). Gas prices are down this weekend...$1.57/gallon.

Nice to see there a still a few real full service gas stations left out there. DL, sounds like you got a real winner, but I'll have to pass on that fifty below zero stuff. Twenty below here in Western Pennsylvania is plenty cold for me!

I have a real station 1/2 mile from my house. It is the only place I will buy my gas. It is called West Side Service. It has been there as longer than I have been around. (19 years)I think it was a old Phillups 66, but I'm not really sure what kind of station it was back in the day. It was really dumpy when I was a kid, but a few years ago, a family bought it and cleaned it up very well. They do repairs, have free air, and real full service, although it is 40 cents a gallon more.
-MIke