Old gas station in downtown Detroit.

[Brass is Best]

Here is an old gas station in Detroit. If only it could speak.

[Walt G]

Wonderful, thanks for sharing this!

[Bhigdog]

Speaking of old gas stations:

In Edison, NJ, near Metuchen,  an old one bay gas station still stands. It no longer has two pumps but in 1957 it had two and a Chevron sign and was owned by them. It was between leases and the Old Man (my father) had an idea. I was fresh out of high school with no prospects, skills, or ambitions. The Chevron guys had a great pitch. The gasoline sales would pay the rent and everything else was profit. What could go wrong? The Old Man leased the station and put me in charge of the only employee...... Me.

Gas was about 27 cents a gallon and oil about 25 cents a quart. Every morning I walked to the station and every evening, 12 hours later I walked home.

I fixed flats for a $1 using hot patches on the tubes and tire irons and a rubber mallet to mount the tires. A wash job was a buck as was the usual gas sale.

It was HORRIBLE.

I remember a fire extinguisher salesman visited one day. He took one look at me ( 18 years old) and smelled blood. His lurid tales of guys being burned alive for want of an extinguisher was an easy $100. The old man was livid. We lost money that month.

The Chilton repair manual salesman also found me an easy mark, but only for a couple of bucks. Mr. Ira Goodlife, if you are reading this I still have the 1957 Chilton book you sold me with your name stamped on the front leaf. I do still use it by the way.

In due course it was obvious that the Old Man's plans of a gas station empire with his son at the helm was just a pipe dream.

I joined the Navy as a way out and the old man gave back to Chevron the station to lease to the next unsuspecting dupe.

Like most tales this one does have a silver lining.

One day two 15 year old girls walked past the station. One of them was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. A normally shy boy I was nonetheless smitten. I left the office, the pumps, and the grease rack and walked with them.

We've been married now for 57 years.

Thank you, Chevron.

I owe you one.

I don't have any pictures of the old station.

The next time I go to Jersey I'll take one.............................Bob

 

[SC38dls]

The town of Wayne Illinois has a gas station that has no gas pumps, a hardware store that’s closed, a post office, a real estate office, a church and the police/city hall. They borrow a fire truck for parades and there are usually more people in the parade than watching it. 

Dave S 

[zipdang]

My Radnor, OH post office is the old gas station. Can't get a gallon of milk, a soda, a gallon of gas - or actually anything in my crossroad town - excepting, of course, a cemetery plot.

[Jim Skelly]

2 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

Here is an old gas station in Detroit. If only it could speak.

there are lots of old stations and banks in Detroit, but most have been substantially altered or painted; thanks for posting; where is it exactly? 

 

good story about meeting your wife, Bob

[Restorer32]

Many years ago I had an employee whose girlfriend's Dad had worked for one of the local fuel distributors. For whatever reason he had a box with photographs of every gas station in York County, PA in 1952 or so. Even very obscure 1 pump stations out in the boonies. Try as I might I couldn't get that box away from the girlfriend.

[Brass is Best]

13 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

there are lots of old stations and banks in Detroit, but most have been substantially altered or painted; thanks for posting; where is it exactly? 

 

 

The station is downtown at the corner of Brush and Watson. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Detroit,+MI/@42.3467762,-83.0518102,58m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8824ca0110cb1d75:0x5776864e35b9c4d2!8m2!3d42.331427!4d-83.0457538

[Brass is Best]

Here are a few more Detroit photos.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Andy, your last picture--of Detroit's grand old train station--

is very interesting.  I read that Ford Motor Company plans

to restore and use that building for its own business.

Have any improvements been made yet?  Such grand potential!

It's a shame that so many Detroit buildings are in shambles.

 

Many planned renovations never occur.  But decades from now,

Detroit may be thriving and beautiful once again, and its

current troubles may be long-forgotten history.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

37 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Andy, your last picture--of Detroit's grand old train station--

is very interesting.  I read that Ford Motor Company plans

to restore and use that building for its own business.

Have any improvements been made yet?  Such grand potential!

It's a shame that so many Detroit buildings are in shambles.

 

Many planned renovations never occur.  But decades from now,

Detroit may be thriving and beautiful once again, and its

current troubles may be long-forgotten history.

 

 

 

John, I took that photo in 2012, last time I was in Detroit fall of 2018 the Train Station had all new windows and was well on its way to being saved. You can find information by googling Detroit Train Station. Glad you enjoyed the photos. Andy

[46 woodie]

So sad to drive around Detroit and see rows and rows of abandoned and burned out houses that were once beautiful. I read where the City of Detroit was offering houses for as little as one dollar. The purchaser has to renovate the home and live in it, so developers can not come in and buy them all. I would think Detroit would be happy even if they were sold to speculators as long as they were rebuilt. I can't remember exactly, but didn't Walter P. Chryslers home sell for some ridiculously low price.

[lump]

19 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Speaking of old gas stations:

In Edison, NJ, near Metuchen,  an old one bay gas station still stands. It no longer has two pumps but in 1957 it had two and a Chevron sign and was owned by them. It was between leases and the Old Man (my father) had an idea. I was fresh out of high school with no prospects, skills, or ambitions. The Chevron guys had a great pitch. The gasoline sales would pay the rent and everything else was profit. What could go wrong? The Old Man leased the station and put me in charge of the only employee...... Me.

Gas was about 27 cents a gallon and oil about 25 cents a quart. Every morning I walked to the station and every evening, 12 hours later I walked home.

I fixed flats for a $1 using hot patches on the tubes and tire irons and a rubber mallet to mount the tires. A wash job was a buck as was the usual gas sale.

It was HORRIBLE.

I remember a fire extinguisher salesman visited one day. He took one look at me ( 18 years old) and smelled blood. His lurid tales of guys being burned alive for want of an extinguisher was an easy $100. The old man was livid. We lost money that month.

The Chilton repair manual salesman also found me an easy mark, but only for a couple of bucks. Mr. Ira Goodlife, if you are reading this I still have the 1957 Chilton book you sold me with your name stamped on the front leaf. I do still use it by the way.

In due course it was obvious that the Old Man's plans of a gas station empire with his son at the helm was just a pipe dream.

I joined the Navy as a way out and the old man gave back to Chevron the station to lease to the next unsuspecting dupe.

Like most tales this one does have a silver lining.

One day two 15 year old girls walked past the station. One of them was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. A normally shy boy I was nonetheless smitten. I left the office, the pumps, and the grease rack and walked with them.

We've been married now for 57 years.

Thank you, Chevron.

I owe you one.

I don't have any pictures of the old station.

The next time I go to Jersey I'll take one.............................Bob

 

 

Wonderful story, Bob! Thanks for sharing!! 

[lump]

I saw this neat old gas station in Jackson, Ohio one rainy day, and tried to take photos so I could share with you all. Ain't it great? 

 

I can't tell what fuel brand it might have represented, based on its color scheme. Any ideas? 

[WQ59B]

On 1/2/2019 at 6:57 PM, Bhigdog said:

I don't have any pictures of the old station.

The next time I go to Jersey I'll take one.............................Bob

I'm right down the road near New Brunswick; I'll shoot a few pics if you want/supply an address.

[Bhigdog]

8 hours ago, WQ59B said:

I'm right down the road near New Brunswick; I'll shoot a few pics if you want/supply an address.

 

That would be wonderful. As of a year or so ago the building still stood but I cant remember if it still had a bay door.

The closest to an address I can give you is the Metuchen Golf and Country Club, 244 Plainfield Rd, Edison , NJ.

As you drive out of Metuchen, North on Plainfield Rd, the golf course will be on your right. Google Earth shows the gas station being the 5th building on your left after the golf club. The station shares a macadam pad with what is or was a small store.

Really appreciate your interest and sorry if this seems like a post hi-jack.................Bob

[Brass is Best]

22 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

 

That would be wonderful. As of a year or so ago the building still stood but I cant remember if it still had a bay door.

The closest to an address I can give you is the Metuchen Golf and Country Club, 244 Plainfield Rd, Edison , NJ.

As you drive out of Metuchen, North on Plainfield Rd, the golf course will be on your right. Google Earth shows the gas station being the 5th building on your left after the golf club. The station shares a macadam pad with what is or was a small store.

Really appreciate your interest and sorry if this seems like a post hi-jack.................Bob

 

Bob, I do not think anybody would take this as a post hijack. I think we would all like to see photos of an old gas station! Andy 

[Walt G]

CCCA had its annual meeting just north of Detroit a few years ago, great time but the trip into Detroit to go to the old GM Design studio building for me to give a presentation and see wll the abandon and deteriorating homes was really depressing. Amazing architecture fallen ino ruin and the legacy of the happy times and people who lived in those homes forgotten.

[cheezestaak2000]

many of the old gas stations survive because of the astronomical expense to remove the in ground tanks

 

[WQ59B]

Just a quick grab off of google maps street view- is this it Bob?
I've passed it about a year ago- was still in business then.

[Bhigdog]

Yup, that's it. The shingled front roof and sign were added some time later. The two pumps were right in front, one regular and one high test, with room for a car on each side. A tire inflator was just to the right of the bay door and we had a rubber  hose that rang a bell if someone pulled up to the pumps. Usually for a dollar's worth of regular and that came with a wind shield and head lite cleaning. The "office" was the left front corner and driving straight into the bay was an air over hydraulic lift. A second car could be fit behind the office if the lift was down. The bit of yellow building peeking out of the left was where the compressor was and storage.

Thanks for the pix and memories.

This thread brought a lot of them back.

Sorry if I bored you guys......................................Bob

 

[Terry Bond]

As long as we've moved away from Detroit, I must say this is a tremendously enjoyable thread.  A few years ago we went through a lot of old stations that people submitted and I'm sure that someone will eventually post links to those earlier discussions.  I was so inspired that I did a powerpoint presentation for our AACA Region as well as a local Model A club of old gas stations, using photos of many from our local area.  There were a surprising number of survivors at that time and may still be.  I'll try to dig up some photos, but I know I also have a few from my home town, Battle Creek, Mich.  Meantime, one of our club members, Richard Hall, provided this neat pic of his father's stations in Miami Beach, Fl from about 1930-31.  James was his father and is standing by the Sun Oil pump.  James' brother Bill has on the white overalls.  It's great when family history includes memories like this.

Terry

[lump]

Hmmm...I wonder, is it ok to post photos of a really cool OLD Firestone store here? Looks like an antique gas station, style-wise. 

 

I drove past this one the way to a pool tournament, and made a loop back around the block so I could snap a pic or two. It looked really cool to me. 

 

IF this would be considered undesirable "hijacking," let me know, and I'll delete it. 

[Jim Skelly]

On ‎1‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 9:52 AM, Brass is Best said:

 

The station is downtown at the corner of Brush and Watson. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Detroit,+MI/@42.3467762,-83.0518102,58m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8824ca0110cb1d75:0x5776864e35b9c4d2!8m2!3d42.331427!4d-83.0457538

thanks for the exact location; I'll have to check it out

 

Detroit is slowly turning around after a sixty year decline.  Much progress has been made since its bankruptcy, and getting a mayor and city council who are willing to work together to solve problems instead of finger pointing or taking payoffs.  

 

The Packard complex (4-story building in the series of pictures) is being restored, but it's an ambitious project in a worn out neighborhood.  The goal is a mixed-use development.  The owner is from Venezuela.  I hope he succeeds.

 

The 1913 Michigan Central Depot is supposed to be completely restored in four years.  I was in it the day before it closed (January 5, 1988).  It was in deplorable condition then.  It's where my Dad left for the Navy and returned at the end of WWII, so I had to go.  It was the only time I had ever been in it. 

 

I believe the mansion belonged to one of the Fisher brothers (Fisher Body).  Most of their mansions have survived, though one was destroyed by fire a while back when it was being worked on.  

 

That Firestone store is just as worthy as the gas stations, in my opinion. 

 

Those old buildings sure have character that is lacking in most buildings today!  

[Bloo]

Here is an old gas station (built 1955) that still stands in Wenatchee, WA. It is much closer to it's original appearance now than it was when I worked there long ago.

 

[Brass is Best]

14 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

thanks for the exact location; I'll have to check it out

 

Detroit is slowly turning around after a sixty year decline.  Much progress has been made since its bankruptcy, and getting a mayor and city council who are willing to work together to solve problems instead of finger pointing or taking payoffs.  

 

The Packard complex (4-story building in the series of pictures) is being restored, but it's an ambitious project in a worn out neighborhood.  The goal is a mixed-use development.  The owner is from Venezuela.  I hope he succeeds.

 

The 1913 Michigan Central Depot is supposed to be completely restored in four years.  I was in it the day before it closed (January 5, 1988).  It was in deplorable condition then.  It's where my Dad left for the Navy and returned at the end of WWII, so I had to go.  It was the only time I had ever been in it. 

 

I believe the mansion belonged to one of the Fisher brothers (Fisher Body).  Most of their mansions have survived, though one was destroyed by fire a while back when it was being worked on.  

 

That Firestone store is just as worthy as the gas stations, in my opinion. 

 

Those old buildings sure have character that is lacking in most buildings today!  

 

Jim,

You know Detroit very well. It is a was once a wonderful city. I am impressed every time I go back with the progress that is being made. Detroit is well on its way to being great again. Do you prefer American or Lafayette Coney Island?

Andy

[Brass is Best]

15 hours ago, lump said:

Hmmm...I wonder, is it ok to post photos of a really cool OLD Firestone store here? Looks like an antique gas station, style-wise. 

 

I drove past this one the way to a pool tournament, and made a loop back around the block so I could snap a pic or two. It looked really cool to me. 

 

IF this would be considered undesirable "hijacking," let me know, and I'll delete it. 

 

Lump, 

 

Where is the store located?

 

Andy

[Jim Skelly]

23 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

 

Jim,

You know Detroit very well. It is a was once a wonderful city. I am impressed every time I go back with the progress that is being made. Detroit is well on its way to being great again. Do you prefer American or Lafayette Coney Island?

Andy

Andy,

 

Truthfully, I never thought I would see a comeback in Detroit.  Too many officials had been elected who only wanted to enrich themselves instead of improving the city for all residents.  My parents lived in Detroit until 1935 (Mom) and 1938 (Dad).  They used to say how great the schools were, the streetcars were always on time, and other aspects of city life were as you would expect them to be.  I have no preference for one coney island joint over the other, but it must come with a cold beer!

 

To others on this forum who have seen Detroit at its worst, pay a visit and you will be pleasantly surprised.  For those who have never been here, you will enjoy it.  There are many museums to see, and many sports teams, too.  Finally, the University of Michigan has some great museums, too, and Ann Arbor is only an hour away.  

[lump]

On 1/5/2019 at 10:43 AM, Brass is Best said:

 

Lump, 

 

Where is the store located?

 

Andy

Hello, Andy. This Firestone store is still in operation in the old city of New Albany, which is located in extreme southern Indiana. It is located just across the Ohio river from Louisville, Ky. 

[lump]

From a young age, I was taught to appreciate these really old automotive-related buildings by my parents. When we were on a tour in our antique cars, as far back as the 1950's, my dad would oogah the horn when we passed such buildings by, whether they were occupied at the time or not. So I learned from a rumble seat to notice them. There are actually quite a few of them still around here in southern Ohio. I'll try to remember to take photos when I see them, and share them here, if everyone wants to see them. 

[Brass is Best]

9 hours ago, lump said:

Hello, Andy. This Firestone store is still in operation in the old city of New Albany, which is located in extreme southern Indiana. It is located just across the Ohio river from Louisville, Ky. 

 

Thanks Lump!

[Spinneyhill]

Detroit rising from the pits of despair reminds me of what happened in many places in UK. Places like Lavenham, Lower Melford and Ludlow, full of 16th-17th century buildings were essentially abandonned when the cotton weaving industry collapsed. Now those towns are great attractions, with the restored wonky old buildings attracting lots of tourist interest. Wonderful places to visit. The Motor Era and Art Deco buildings in Detroit will also be an attraction in the future, like Napier NZ is (Art Deco, because it was rebuilt in the 1930s after being destroyed in an earthquake on Feb 3, 1931).

[Jim Skelly]

Detroit has one of the largest collections of 1920s commercial buildings in the country.  It only goes back to 1701, so it lacks the colonial architecture of the east coast. 

[Stude Light]

Vinsetta Garage in Berkeley, MI (suburb of Detroit) dates back to 1919

It is now a restaurant but kept most of the charm of the original facade and an interesting vintage automotive interior

[keiser31]

On 1/2/2019 at 2:22 PM, Brass is Best said:

Here is an old gas station in Detroit. If only it could speak.

There was an identical gas station to this across the street from Washington Elementary School in Royal Oak where I went as a child. It had been turned into a candy store with a VERY old couple running it. I LOVED that place! Thank you so much for posting this photo and bringing the memories back.

Edited January 9, 2019 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

This gas station has been converted to a restaurant called Red Crown in Grosse Pointe Park Mich.

 

http://redcrowngp.com/

[capngrog]

Here are a couple of photos of an old gas station not very far from where I live.  This gas station was constructed in 1926.  While it wasn't overly tight getting the old Chevelle into the fuel area, one needs to pay attention to the clearances between expensive sheet metal and immovable, abrasive, brick surfaces.

 

Cheers,

Grog

 

 

[Jim Skelly]

10 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

This gas station has been converted to a restaurant called Red Crown in Grosse Pointe Park Mich.

 

http://redcrowngp.com/

Andy,

 

Dearborn had an Amoco station almost identical to this that opened in 1913 and was torn down around 2007 due to the cost of replacing the original tile roof.  The owner decided to set the new station further back and built an energy efficient station that replicated the look of the old station.  I miss the old station, but have to credit him for doing that.  There is another one in Coldwater, Michigan, a couple of hours west of Dearborn.  

[Brass is Best]

13 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

Andy,

 

Dearborn had an Amoco station almost identical to this that opened in 1913 and was torn down around 2007 due to the cost of replacing the original tile roof.  The owner decided to set the new station further back and built an energy efficient station that replicated the look of the old station.  I miss the old station, but have to credit him for doing that.  There is another one in Coldwater, Michigan, a couple of hours west of Dearborn.  

 

Good to know, Thanks!

[Guest Mark McAlpine]

I see Stude Light posted a photo of Vinsetta Garage.  Another cool car-related place to eat in metro Detroit is Ford's Garage in Dearborn.  Although it's not in a historic building like Vinsetta Garage and apparently is a chain restaurant (there are 10 of them located in Florida; the one in Dearborn is the only one outside of Florida that I know of), it still has cool ambience (and great burgers) with Model A shell's on display inside and outside and other automotive-themed displays and fixtures inside.  The "Ford" logo branded into the hamburger buns is a nice touch.

 

Yes, Detroit is a bit down-trodden right now, but it's recovering.  I admit a bit of bias (I was born in Detroit and raised in Detroit proper for the first five years or so of my life, then lived in its suburbs until I joined the Air Force at 26, and still return home 3-4 times a year and spend a good chunk of the year there), but there are plenty of antique auto-related (and other) things to do in the area, from being welcomed by the old Uniroyal Tires Ferris Wheel (from the 1964 New York World's Fair) as you head into Detroit on I-94, to the Henry Ford museum and Greenfield Village, Ford Piquette Plant, Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, the GM Heritage Collection in Sterling Heights, the R.E. Olds Museum in Lansing, the Sloan Museum in Flint, the Stahls Automotive Foundation in Chesterfield, the Packard Proving Grounds, the Chrysler Collection (which may be open to the public again in a year or two after it relocates to the old Conner Avenue Assembly Plant Viper plant), Automotive Hall of Fall in Dearborn, the Detroit Historical Museum, the carcass of the old Packard Plant in Detroit (which has a new remodeling vision announced every few years), car and truck plant tours, etc.  Time your visit and you can also catch the Detroit International Auto Show in January, the Detroit Autorama ("The World's Greatest Hot Rod Show"--home of the Riddler Award) every March, the Woodward Dream Cruise in August, the smaller Cruisin' Gratiot cruise in June, the Clinton Twp Gratiot Cruise in early August, etc.  Drive Jefferson Avenue (Lake Shore Drive in points) along Lake St. Claire and see some of the remaining mansions of the early auto barons (many of the estates have been razed and subdivided, but there are still some impressive homes) including visiting the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Point Shores.  

 

As I said, I'm a bit biased about my home town.  There are plenty of other cool "car things" to do in the metro Detroit area--other members will probably weigh in and add other things I haven't listed.

 

Oh, yeah, don't forget the Gilmore Museum is only about 2.5 - 3 hours away.

Edited January 10, 2019 by Mark McAlpine
Added photos (see edit history)