Laurens, SC - 1930s filling station, brought back to life in 2002 by a guy, Richard Kuhnel, who wanted a place to honor his cruisin' days of the ’50s and '60s. Come back on the first Friday night of any month to see vintage cars -- and vintage people -- hanging out once again at the old filling station. 
Come inside, put a nickel in the slot of the red and white cooler, and slide out a green frosty bottle of Coke. While you sit on your front fender and talk cars, remember the guy who came out (or ambled over from the bench) when your car drove over the bell that summed him. Remember sitting in your car, elbow out the window, saying, "Fill 'er up!" "Check the oil, ma'am?" he'd ask while scrubbing every last bug off your windshield. Imagine, all that for 25 cents a gallon, maybe $4 for a fill-up.
Oh, be still my heart! Look what's parked next to the station. A vintage Shasta trailer, a "canned ham" with wings intact, in my favorite Shasta color, "aqua" blue.
So me, don't you think?
Those were the days, no servants anymore... All self service now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great renovation.
ReplyDeleteLove that shasta trailer and especially the picture of you in it.. Great post and memories.
ReplyDeletebetsy
What a great find! Coincidentally I've been to a vintage farm equipment rally this afternoon and many of the exhibitors live for the weekend in beautifully restored trailers (caravans we'd call them) like that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun place to visit! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the old gas stations seen more than a few down here.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Look at that Shasta. And my neighbor has one of those old gas pumps in his yard. Fun post
ReplyDeleteHmmm! Did you "fiddle" with the caravan window????
ReplyDeletePretty clever if so.
So pleased that your mathematics has not deserted you - ha ha!
Cheers
Colin ( from rain sodden Terrigal! - came down in the bucket loads last night)
Yes, The Writer photoshopped me in. Clever, eh? (and probably the ONLY way I'll ever travel in a Shasta. 😉
DeleteI like the sign on the station...nostalgia. It certainly is nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteLove it. What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting find. Wonder what it would be like travelling in that van now? Don't think my back would cope.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun, I love the caravan, it would have been lovely to take a peek inside.
ReplyDeleteThe guy who restored the gas station must be a great guy.
ReplyDeleteDear Cynthia, what a delightful post! I so remember those days of inexpensive gas and the filling station and the attendant who always seemed eager to wipe those bugs off and swipe a rag over the headlights and fill that tank! This really brought back some nostalgia in me. I embrace the present with all its changes, but sometimes the knowledge of the past--when we have no knowledge of what the future holds for us and perhaps a little fear--is so comforting. Peace.
ReplyDeleteLife had a whole different feel to it back then, I think. People seemed far more secure and were confident that good paying jobs would not be snatched out from under them, that pension plans they had paid into would not wind up as casualties of bankruptcy and that their children would not die of drug overdoses. That era has gone forever.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post! This is totally dating me, but my first couple jobs back in high school were at gas stations. I can remember 25 cents/gallon gas prices, "gas wars", and the occasional person who come in and said "give me a dollars worth!"
ReplyDeleteOh yes I do remember all those things! That little trailer was made just for you. You look cute there in the window.
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