Texaco / Correct Alignment & Auto Repair / KC Customs & Detailing, 1902 Augusta Road: Spring 2010 18 comments
I really like this building on US-1 near Wal Mart, or at least the classic part of it -- I could do without the two prefab sheds at each end. Whenever I see a gull-wing light tree like the one on the left (west) side of the lot, I get a real feeling of nostalgia. When I was a kid in the mid 1960s, we would take US-301 to Florida every summer and Christmas, and somewhere along that route, there was a big abandoned truck-stop. I don't know where it was exactly, though it was fairly early on the trip, so it was probably in South Carolina (and as we went South, it was on the left). Anyway, the lot was strewn with those gull-wing lights and it always made a big impression on me.
Aside from the light, the canted wrap-around bay windows on the west end are another really nice touch, as is the trapezoidal riser on the east end. They don't make 'em like that anymore. I would guess the building started as a gas station, probably in the late 1950s, but I don't really know.
As of now, KC Customs & Detailing still has a web page up, and from that I can definitely say they were in this spot as late as February 2010. There are also some shots of the building with the KC signage still up.
UPDATE 15 Jan 2011 -- It's now Poppa Joe's New & Used Tires:
UPDATE 14 April 2018 -- Adding "Texaco" to the post title based on the comments
18 Responses to 'Texaco / Correct Alignment & Auto Repair / KC Customs & Detailing, 1902 Augusta Road: Spring 2010'
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jamie
12 Jul 10 at 6:56 am
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Judging from the architecture, I would say it was probably a Crown gas station. They used to be common in the 60s but in the late 60s-early 70s they became Atlantic gast stations then Arco. I am not sure what happened to Arco.
Tom
12 Jul 10 at 11:38 am
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I think this was either a Texaco or Sinclair gas station back in the early to mid 60's...
Del
13 Jul 10 at 2:57 pm
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@ Del I think it was a Texaco at one point, but not originally.
I doubt it was a Sinclair, there were not too many of them in Columbia. I know this because I used to love it when my folks went to Sinclairs to get gas because they used dinosaurs in their logos and merchandising and I was in my "dino phase" at that time.
Tom
13 Jul 10 at 4:43 pm
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There used to be (very early to mid 60's) a SOC gas station near there on the same side of the road, but I cant remember anything other than this part. station being a Texaco at least in the mid 60's..I wouldnt remember before then. There was an older couple that baby sat me back in 1961 and 1962 in that same part of town , but I'm TOO young to remember what the station was then..
Del
14 Jul 10 at 8:00 pm
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SOC stations were like Hess, Spur and Kayo (remember them?) Just gas and no service bays.
Tom
15 Jul 10 at 9:41 am
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The SOC gas station building is still there..I think it's a used car lot or something like that now...but I dont remember what year it closed..maybe the late 60's?
Del
15 Jul 10 at 9:53 am
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Oh yeah.. I remember "Spur" gas and "Pure" Gas stations, but I dont remember Kayo gas stations.. Philips '66 I remember also...
Del
15 Jul 10 at 9:55 am
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I rememember Kayo and Soc stations. My dad had a place called the TFX.
bud
15 Jul 10 at 10:10 am
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Wasn't that where the Autozone on N Main is, bud? Seems like that's come up before...
jamie
15 Jul 10 at 11:11 am
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That's it. Someone on this blog directed me to a very old photo of the building before it was the TFX. It was featured in a book called Eau Claire Memories. Great source for old photos of stuff in the Eau Claire area. It was originally a Sinclair Station.
bud
15 Jul 10 at 1:34 pm
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That was me. i guess we're stuck in a perpetual TFX loop now :-D
jamie
15 Jul 10 at 2:00 pm
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Sadly we don't have any photos of our old family business. We made a good living there for about years from about 1964 to about 1984. I hated working there as a teenager but in the fullness of time I've come to greatly appreciate small family-owned businesses. They're what make this a great country.
bud
16 Jul 10 at 7:37 am
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Where did the name TFX come from? The F-111 program was called the TFX at the time and it was probably getting big (but not good) press in 1964. Just wondered if there was a connection.
jamie
16 Jul 10 at 8:44 am
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Yes. That was my brother's idea. He was about 14 at the time of the TFX development and thought it was a really cool plane. My dad adopted it for the business when he opened it about that time.
bud
16 Jul 10 at 12:31 pm
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Looks like this place may be open again...
jamie
21 Sep 10 at 2:09 pm
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I lived nearby this gas station as a child in early 70s. My Dad was friends with the then owner Henry Odem and I remember it being a Texaco at that time.
Darrell
6 Apr 18 at 9:58 am
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Large letters spelling TEXACO was attached to the top of the trapezoidal riser. The oil change pit Mr Odem let me into was amazing to me as a youngster!
Darrell
6 Apr 18 at 10:06 am
Cool old gas station. Wonder what brand it used to be.