Old gas stations

[GHT]

It is an English station I think. Car may be French. Can't see the lettering on the globes on me tiny screen to tell what company it is.

You are right, the licence plate is British, the car is a French Renault.

Did people really send postcards of gas stations?

Here in the UK, postcards were big business, they depict practically every scenario you can think of.

 

[LizzieMaine]

What's interesting to me about the Big Sign station is that in its original form it screamed "Spanish Mission." I don't know that the good Spanish friars had much of an influence in the settlement of Missouri, but nevertheless the gas-station architects of the 1930s were very much their disciples. You saw tile roofs and mock-adobe walls all over the country in the years before the Teague-type icebox designs took over. The various Standard companies were heavy users of this type of design, but others got in on the act as well, especially Sinclair.

 

[Fading Fast]

What's interesting to me about the Big Sign station is that in its original form it screamed "Spanish Mission." I don't know that the good Spanish friars had much of an influence in the settlement of Missouri, but nevertheless the gas-station architects of the 1930s were very much their disciples. You saw tile roofs and mock-adobe walls all over the country in the years before the Teague-type icebox designs took over. The various Standard companies were heavy users of this type of design, but others got in on the act as well, especially Sinclair.

Today, the reason you see so many companies doing the same thing in strategy and design is because

1. In theory, there is a smart way forward; hence, most well-run companies will find it (stop laughing, it does happen that way sometimes)
2. Companies copy other companies' success
3. And, IMHO, this is the big one based on my years in business - large companies hire the same consultants who tell them the same thing and everybody ends up doing it with just a little tweaking so that management feels they are "adding value," to the strategy or "adapting it to our 'unique' company strengths," or blah, blah, blah

My guess, the 1930s gas-station consultants were screaming "Spanish Mission design tests off the charts with motorists" and here are reams and reams of very professional looking data to support our claim.

 

[2jakes]

.... My little hometown must have really gone for it because there are numerous ones I have seen with pretty scenery on them. The problem is that none of the scenes pictured exist anywhere in the area.

"...when the legend becomes fact, print the legend".

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Rob

 

[tonyb]

The Sunoco district manager would like to talk to that attendant about uniform policy. Omitting the tie does not mean omitting the front of the shirt.

It was a hot day.

The only thing missing from this vignette is a pack o’ smokes rolled up in the sleeve of the T-shirt on that young man in the ‘55 Chevy.

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Rob

 

[Frunobulax]

Rob

"I'll take your picture. Go stand by the gas pump and look coquettish."


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Fading Fast]

"Simoniz Now" followed by "you have to make a date" seem a bit at odds with each other.

 

[LizzieMaine]

No gal wants her date to pick her up in a dirty car. It's a sure sign she'll be walking home.

 

[Frunobulax]

No gal wants her date to pick her up in a dirty car. It's a sure sign she'll be walking home.

That's why you get them to wash and wax your car before you take them out on the town

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Gotta make sure you know that the ladie's restroom is RIGHT THERE.

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Found this one over the weekend, in Columbus, Georgia.

Rob

 

[LizzieMaine]

Nice how that "sunburst" effect on the signs recalls the Pure Oil logo.

 

[David Conwill]

Nice how that "sunburst" effect on the signs recalls the Pure Oil logo.

Huh, I had always thought of that as a gear!

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Noir.... for those who missed the neon sign thread.

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Hmmm...I have been using the Tapatalk app to post from my Android phone, but now it doesn't seem to allow me to log in to the FL via the app; I'm posting this from the web browser on my phone.

Tapatalk seems to be working fine with other forums I frequent, so I'm wondering if it's a FL interface issue...

Rob