Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Pump and Circumstance #4


P&C-4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Service station in Dallas, Texas (back in the days when going to get gas was a real experience!)

6 comments:

Chic Silber said...

That's quite the glitzy pavillion

Chic Silber said...

Sign says Texas Pacific Coal & Oil

Wonder if this was the forerunner

of the Texaco of today that is

combined with Chevron which was

yet another part of Standard Oil

(California Standard Oil "Calso")

There was a great ad that ran

when the brand changed to Chevron

"I wonder what they did with all

the old Calso signs" (cute voice)

GaryHill said...

I think this old station was in the Casa Linda area of Dallas by White Rock Lake?

Roger Smith said...

I had relatives in Grand Prairie, and to go to Dallas at all, even for a hamburger, was a grand excursion. I know Dallas, but I can't truly remember this station, and wonder where it stood. This is an example of what the big companies thought of their image when a family drove up. Kids of today won't believe that out came 2 or more smiling attendants in starched khakis, with company emblems on their shirts, wearing captains' caps and black bow ties. One guy drew up the gas by gravity to a gallon marker, as Chic described previously, and drained it into your tank. Another guy checked your tires, popped your hood, pulled the dip stick and showed it to you. He'd take a heavy rag and remove your radiator cap, add water, and check your battery. A third guy (sometimes) was cleaning all your windows--all this service without you asking. Even the restrooms were usually passable. It was universal among all big company pavilions, and just as common in small, lonely stations in the sticks where I came from. Even if the attendent was one old grandpa, he went all around your car. Comfortable and confident, you pulled out fully serviced. Back to the youngsters of today--such service under any brand will not be found again. If you find an exception, grab your Kodak Brownie and preserve a remnant of history.

Chic Silber said...

One of my brothers as a teenager

had a summer job as a pump jockey

He got sacked however when a girl

in a convertible wearing a lowcut

blouse drove in for gas and he

asked if he could check her front

The girl & the station owner had

no sense of humor

Anonymous said...

A local gas station owner told me he grew up in Philly and on rainy days he said if you stayed in your car, you might pay for an extra gallon or two. Great way to enhance your sales.
Bob Kitto