Out of Gas

[johnastovall]

Looking at abandoned gas stations. Some new ways of seeing common things.

[Howard Barlow]

This link opens a reply window. Was that the intention?

[CaptainTom]

Ooops, operator error, operator error, warning, warning, operator error.

[johnastovall]

Fixed

[Bruce M. Morris]

Just looking along Camp Bowie Blvd in Ft Worth, I think there are several gas stations that now house a)a pizza joint, b) a coffee shop, c)a used BMW dealership, d)a beauty salon, and I cant remember the others.. no trees growing on them though...

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

Looking at abandoned gas stations. Some new ways of seeing common things.

I guess but really the business model has changed. Gas stations sells groceries and grocery stores sell gasoline. For the benefit of those under 40 there was once upon a time when you went to place called a service station. When I worked there we would fill your tank, wash your windsheild, check your oil and other vital fluids. The price 33.9 cents per gallon and the machine dispensed 10 oz cokes for a quarter, 5 cents extra if you took the bottle with you. Ah good times

[Howard Barlow]

They also had oil in quart glass jars, with metal spout screwed on, in a wire rack, sitting by the pumps. Canned oil was more expensive. Some pumps had to have the glass bowl on top filled, before draining into the tank. Fancy, new-fangled pumps had the balls in the glass window, showing the flow of gas.

[amadjuster]

Originally Posted by ka5txl

I guess but really the business model has changed. Gas stations sells groceries and grocery stores sell gasoline. For the benefit of those under 40 there was once upon a time when you went to place called a service station. When I worked there we would fill your tank, wash your windsheild, check your oil and other vital fluids. The price 33.9 cents per gallon and the machine dispensed 10 oz cokes for a quarter, 5 cents extra if you took the bottle with you. Ah good times

How about 19.9 a gallon and Cokes and DP's were in 6 1/2 oz bottles for a nickle. Pepsies and RC's were the same but bigger bottles. Then came the aftermath of the Korean War and drinks went up to 6 cents. They put an honesty box for the pennies on the machines but that didn't last long. They really did have Coke machines with a nickle and a penny slot! Hydramatic shifted 4 times and Powerglide didn't shift at all. Boy, I am old.

[MagicMike]

As long as we're strolling down that lane let's also remember min wage was $1.00 per hour and not all jobs paid min wage.

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by MagicMike

As long as we're strolling down that lane let's also remember min wage was $1.00 per hour and not all jobs paid min wage.

True but my parents modest 3 bedroom house cost 10k, with a 4% mortgage, and if anybody charged more than 10% interest they would end up in jail and you could buy a new car for $1500. Of course they were not as reliable as the ones today but then again you didn't need an enginerring degree to work on one either

[johnastovall]

People, this was a trip down memory lane as a visual excercise in looking at changing archetitural function and it giving new subjects. The same can be done with fast food chain resturants.

[debba]

I know of an old gas station that is now a beauty shop.

[venchka]

Geeeeeze, Y'all are old!

I was just thinking the other day...

My first trip to Estes Park, CO. I had a fit when I had to pay $0.40/gal. for gas. From then on I always filled up before going into the mountains.

Most anything old is worthy of an attempt at a photograph. Sometimes you'll get it right and have a nice photograph.

[studiocygnet]

Not just the inner city stations that have gone idle. Many of the small towns out in the country have abandoned gas stations, from when the highways passed them by. Here is an example of the general store selling gas from long ago. It would seem that groceries and gas is not a modern phenomenon.