This was the location of a gas station located on the “Alabama Triangle” across from Brookside Drug. Since 1974 the site has been a municipal parking lot.
On October 15, 1925, George L. Brooks and M.B. Hagen received permission to install a Benzo Gas Co. station on the NW corner of Excelsior and Jackson (Alabama). In 1926 a permit was issued to Benzo Gas Motor Fuel Co.
On October 5, 1927, George Brooks obtained a permit to operate a restaurant and sell soft drinks at his place on Excelsior Blvd. between Brookside and Jackson [Alabama]. At about the same time, Brookside was straightened to connect with Jackson Street.
In 1928, H.G. Worel advertised his Benzo Gas station, featuring Mobiloil, Tires, Tubes, and Accessories.
In 1929, permits to operate a gas station and restaurant and to sell soft drinks and milk were issued to Brooks and Borst.
In 1931 the permit to operate the station was awarded to Petroleum Services Co.
In August 1932, a Minneapolis Tribune ad indicated that a Tydol station in the Park was owned and/or operated by an A.W. Downing.
In 1933 it was the Williams Bros Tydol Service Station. Tydol was the name of the gas, and Veedol was the oil. The company was the Tide Water Associated Oil Company. [There was also something about Parxoil–me–t-orr.] The company put out some rather bizarre ads – one undated magazine ad shows a car committing suicide, among other things.
Alan Eastlund tells us that the Petroleum Service company owned stations that featured Tydol, Veedol, as well as WH Barber products, like Me-tee-or, Penno, and Fyre Drop. That would explain why the William Brothers station had Tydol and Veedol, as well as Me-tee-or. WH Barber was a local distributor for all of the above products.
In 1935 it was (Julius) Johnson’s Tydol Station, with three pumps. That year a Henry T. Melius was awarded a permit to operate a station at 6004 Excelsior.
In 1937 it was the (Wm.) Burgess Tydol Station (Burgess had worked for Sid Brown at 3901 Excelsior).
In 1939 it was Mac’s Service Station/Tankar Gas Inc.
In 1944 the first building was torn down. On December 5, 1944, B.W. Daly of the Petroleum Service Company (219 Fremont Ave. No, Mpls.) obtained a permit to a 5,000 gallon underground tank. The three-pump station was run by Burgess until 1949.
In 1950 it switched to Kunz Oil Co., represented by A.C. Godward and Douglas Rees.
In January 1951, the Parxoil Company (selling Tydol-Veedol-Fuel Oil) advertised a playing card premium plan in the SLP High School Echo. “With each $2.00 in trade you receive one coupon good for playing cards. We will redeem 15 coupons for one pack of remembrance Quality Redi-Slip Finish Playing Cards with our compliments.”
In 1951, Parx Oil (Tydol) took down the old structure and installed a 3,500 gas tank (M&H Gas Co.).
In February 1952, the Echo featured an ad that said “Now….. At No Extra Cost ME-TEE-OR Filtered and Dehydrated Gasoline. Excelsior at Brookside.”
In 1954 the Village ordered Miller and Holmes, Inc. to remove an abandoned gas tank at Excelsior and Brookside. They then installed one 15,000 gallon tank.
In 1956 it was Jack’s Oil Well/Star Gas.
From July 26, 1956 to 1958 it was Star Service Gas for Less – Open All Night. In 1958 you could redeem your stamp book for Cannon towels.
From 1959 to 1960 it was a National Certified Gas Station.
HOLIDAY
In or before 1964 it became a Holiday (Erickson) Station until about 1972.
1968 Photos above and below courtesy Emory Anderson. Note guns for sale!
In 1974 the site was purchased by the City and made into a municipal parking lot.