5050 EXCELSIOR BLVD.

This stucco building was a gas station, located at the front end of Rice Sand and Gravel (soon to be the Beltline Pay Dump). The Village granted M.M. Rude a permit to build it on November 4, 1946, and it was built in 1947 at a cost of $25,000. There, William Smith operated a Zephyr Oil Station. In 1948 there were four pumps, and in 1951 there were six.
 

From the 1951 phone directory
 


 

A bigger view of the same ad, 1951.

 

In 1954 it was called Beltline Standard.

From 1959 to 1968 it was the Miracle Mile Direct Service Station, operated by Western Oil.

From 1968 to 1970 it was Miracle Mile Standard.

From 1970-71 it was Willie’s Standard, run by Willie Gail.
 

1971

We see a note that Gil Braun owned 3-1/2 acres across from Citizens State Bank.

The station was wrecked in October 1972, and a new building for Citizen’s State Bank was built on the site.