Garage

"Now-a-days", (as my dear 'ole grandmother used to say) generic, self-serve, one-stop, glorified convenience stores are where we go to fill the tanks of our cars. Not that many years ago, gas stations were sleek, clean, stylish shrines of service. Attended by friendly, courteous workers who filled the tank, checked the oil, cleaned the windshield, inflated the tires, and even threw in a dividend. With the arrival of the automobile and the pedestal it took in society, service stations became one of the dominant businesses in twentieth century America. From the pump in front of the general store to the gleaming full-service stations of the 1940s and 1950s, the oil companies created a niche in our culture. Once an indispensable part of daily American life, the traditional full-service gas stations have surrendered to sterile, indifferent convenience stores with automated, pay-at-the-pump service.