supreme oil
1954 - My father, Harvey McCollum, standing in front of his first Summerville gas station located on the west side of North Commerce across from the current Pizza Hut.  Billings Avenue is just over the hill.


supreme oil
Another shot facing southwest.  The Shropshire house which stood behind a vacant lot adjacent to Troy's Drive-In (now Henry's Bar-B-Que) is visible in the center.


supreme oil
1960 - A photo scanned from a yearbook ad shows an upgraded station.



supreme oil
1962 - A photo scanned from a yearbook ad shows vending machines to the right.  The Hollis house still stands on the adjacent lot to the north.

supreme
A 1963 yearbook ad photo.  "Fill 'er up with Ethyl."



supreme
A 1965 yearbook ad photo shows a new roofline, gas pumps, and light fixtures.


supreme
This photo shows the last upgrade: a new office building and a gas pump under the shadow of a metal canopy.

Before I-75 was completed, I pumped gas for customers from as far north as Michigan and Canada traveling through Summerville on their way to Florida via U.S. 27.  If they needed a quart of oil, I was supposed to offer them the high-priced Kendall GT-1.  If they balked at the price, I'd start "selling down" until I eventually arrived at the 15 cent "bulk" oil, recycled from heaven knows what.

Sometimes a customer would pull up and ask for 50 cents worth, almost 2 gallons of gas!
  



Return to Business & Industry



Return to Home Page  



Copyright 2010 Greg W. McCollum.  All rights reserved.