Old gas station

[George Smolinski]

Filling up at the gas station years ago meant full service. An attendant actually pumped the gas and customers never got out of the car.

One former gas station in Shoreview brings back those memories of yesteryear.

The historic Guerin Texaco Gas Station is on display in Shoreview's Heritage Park.

The former station opened in 1920s on Rice Street in Ramsey County and is said to be one of the first gas stations in Minnesota.

When the station first opened, gas was 17 cents a gallon. Some infamous customers stopped at the station, including several gangsters, filling up on the way to cabins up north.

[JACK M]

Check the tires and oil please when you finish the windshield.

[ScarredKnightfan]

That's cool, George!

 

A few of those similar to that along Route 66 ... and other older roads.

 

 

Cort, pig & cow valves with pacemaker
2003 MGM LS + 1981 cmc SC; want 1975 Chrysler Cordoba
"These are some good times, so take a good look around" | Trace Adkins | 'You're Gonna Miss This'

[JFranklin]

On 8/11/2021 at 9:41 AM, JACK M said:

Check the tires and oil please when you finish the windshield.

That was back when they were actually SERVICE stations and sold tires and oil, even windshield wipers, installed them also.

Edited August 12, 2021 by JFranklin (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

Neighborhood service stations' demise has contributed to the sad and often unsafe condition of a lot of what we share the road with.

 

Some of the customers and parts jockeys I encounter at the FLAPS unnerve me. Had an AutoZone parts jockey tell me Oldsmobile was made by Ford, and tonite when I was picking up new wiper blades for the 93 F150 at an O'Reilly's there was a customer who did not know the difference in a pitman arm and an idler arm, yet he intended to repair it himself.

 

Boy, sometimes I wish NAPA was open late.

[Bryan G]

I was daydreaming the other day, wondering if a new kind of full service station could work. Checking under the hood wouldn't be so important, but they'd still clean your windshield and anything else you asked for. The main thing would be they'd bring you whatever drink or snack you wanted while you get filled up. I picture it in trendier areas; attendants in some sort of period garb, maybe trained to really ham it up for the customers. 

[Swear57]

Here in Oregon you can not pump your own gas. Exit 210 & I 84 there is a Chervon that a attendant pumps your gas & cleans your windows. We have lots of bugs out here, those attendants get a work out cleaning windows. Yes the smoke here in Pendleton gets pretty bad from the fires down south

[md murray]

That's wild; are u expected to tip them?

[Swear57]

No but a lot of people do.

[Fossil]

4 hours ago, Swear57 said:

Here in Oregon you can not pump your own gas.

One of the reasons I try not to buy gas in Oregon. I forget and then get reprimanded. Telling them your from out of state doesn't seem to make any difference. 

[keiser31]

4 hours ago, Swear57 said:

Here in Oregon you can not pump your own gas. Exit 210 & I 84 there is a Chervon that a attendant pumps your gas & cleans your windows. We have lots of bugs out here, those attendants get a work out cleaning windows. Yes the smoke here in Pendleton gets pretty bad from the fires down south

That is correct UNLESS you have a motorcycle or a vintage vehicle. In those cases, you are allowed to pump your own gas.

[wayne sheldon]

Interesting. Does the law specify vintage vehicles may pump their own? Or define what is vintage? I don't get up into Oregon very often, and so far not with my antiques. I do hope to yet change that. One of my sons lives (currently, he may be coming back down?) in Oregon near Eugene, and I have a number of old friends that are up there.

[JACK M]

All you have to do is ask the attendant if you may pump your own.

I have never been turned down.

However I let them do it most of the time.

Usually they will hand you the nozzle if you are driving something nice.

[JRA]

In Brazil, the service stations are still full service. The law does not allow you to pump gas on your own car, the station attendant does that, and also clean windshield, check/complete water level (radiator and windshield wiper reservoir), check/complete air in the tyres for free, but usually tipped. Other services are available in stations, even in very small ones: wiper blade change, car wash and oil change. On the road service stations, you can additionaly find tyre repair,  grease lub service and other repairs. 
In the 1990’s, a bill was approved in the Congress to secure the jobs on Service Stations, so self service is forbidden.

JRA

[JFranklin]

While some people dislike being pampered in Oregon gas stations by being able to stay in the car while someone else pumps the gas, most here like things just as they are. When other States went with pump your own, the prices never got any better, only the profits to the station.

Edited August 15, 2021 by JFranklin (see edit history)

[John348]

I just purchased fuel this morning on Long Island in New York and they still require an attendant to pump fuel in that town

[Fossil]

10 hours ago, JFranklin said:

While some people dislike being pampered in Oregon gas stations by being able to stay in the car while someone else pumps the gas, most here like things just as they are. When other States went with pump your own, the prices never got any better, only the profits to the station.

I'll admit that I haven't been in Oregon for a few years but the last time I was there I had to get out of the car and go in and pay after someone else pumped my gas. I grew up in Portland when it was still a beautiful and inviting city to visit. City of Roses I believe. 

I really don't mind having my gas pumped, it's my not remembering to let someone else do it. 

Can't see anything wrong with a business earning a profit. Kind of seems like the American way to me or at least that's the way it used to be. 

 

[Frank DuVal]

On 8/15/2021 at 1:13 PM, JFranklin said:

When other States went with pump your own, the prices never got any better,

That is not true in Virginia! The price did drop on self service pumps. This was about 1970. For a while the name brand stations had pumps with two price windows, but that was short lived, as full service went away except at separate pumps. Now, a 10% decrease was just 3 cents per gallon, so it seemed like no change....😉

 

You really think we would have allowed the demise of full service without a price decrease? 🤔  Now, prices went up in a few years anyway, due to Arab Oil Embargo.

 

The last full service pump I saw was here in Fredericksburg about 2002. 

[rocketraider]

There is one each BP/Amoco full serve station in Danville and South Boston. Both are off the main drag. Two Marathons in Danville have full serve islands on main roads. All do good business.

 

The one in SB used to tell my mama to pull to the self serve and they'd still pump it for her.

[JACK M]

I was fueling up yesterday and the nice girl offered to clean my windshield.

I had told her it might take awhile to fill my 50 gallon tank. (had to swipe twice)

I was floored, Unfortunately (or fortunately) there wasn't any bugs on it so I declined.

It was at a large truck stop but we were in the car section.

[Porsche 68]

First job I had was pumping gas in a beautiful Art Deco Gulf station I was 14 years old checked air oil tires windshield couldn’t wait to get under the hood now your lucky if the attendant talks to you This is an old Texaco station up the road from my house have a picture of it somewhere when it was in operation 

[Bhigdog]

When I was 18 I worked in a Calso station. Gas was about 25.9 and all stations were full service. The gas company rep told how to sell tires when checking the air and wiper blades when doing the wind shield. The old timers told me how to "short stick" when checking oil and how to "nick' a fan belt.

There's no free lunch.............Bob

[JACK M]

20 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

The old timers told me how to "short stick" when checking oil and how to "nick' a fan belt.

 

I wouldn't want to work for those guys.

Makes for bad stereotypes in the trade.

[Porsche 68]

When I was older 17 18 was in the bays repairing cars a customer came in ( a regular) car was smoking bad 3 qts over full I questioned the kids on the night shift They said he was a jerk never tipped whenever they did any thing so we didn’t pay him that week the kid ask why  we told him because he was a jerk  made him pay to the repair on the customers car  Then got rid of him

[J.H.Boland]

Here in Ontario, nearly all stations are self serve. Most pumps require you to insert your credit card before starting, or prepay in the kiosk.

Attached is a print of a painting by Dave Snyder showing a cottage-style Supertest station. Supertest had it's beginning in my hometown of London, Ontario and there were many stations like this. There is great attention to detail in the painting.

[Bhigdog]

4 hours ago, JACK M said:

 

I wouldn't want to work for those guys.

Makes for bad stereotypes in the trade.

 

Not saying I did it. It was just what I heard. Was it done? I'm guessing yes.................Bob

[wayne sheldon]

I won't mention the company name, even though I am sure they do nothing of the sort today (mostly since they no longer do the service and automotive sell anymore!). However one of the big oil and gasoline companies in the country had quite a reputation for such dirty tricks. My dad and my uncle caught them at things like short sticking the oil, flipping fan belts, and even cutting wiper blades. My dad rarely ever bought gas from that company (and I mostly didn't either for many years!) because of such tactics. Consumer hotline columns in newspapers often warned against doing business with them, yet, millions of people still seemed to favor that company.