Thursday, November 10, 2011

Cheap cars, cheap gas

Doc Robert's Shell

Another reason to miss the 1970's was transportation.   Before the big imposing building known as Kent Square arrived, you had downtown gas stations selling petrol for 29 cents a gallon (look close beneath the hanging Shell sign).  This was Doc Roberts place on the corner of Lee and South Main.

Just up the block was Heavener Chevrolet where I bought my black VW Beetle, seen in an earlier post, for a pittance.  It cost less than $4.00 to fill up the tank from dead empty.  This building is now part of the town municipal buildings between Clay and Miller Streets.

Heavener Chevrolet 

3 comments:

  1. I worked at Doc's in 1972 right after I arrived in Blacksburg. I not only pumped gas, but also worked in the garage. Some men would not allow me to touch their cars! And it was common for men to come watch me work not believing that a female could have the required skills.

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  2. Hi Melissa, thanks for the memories.

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  3. I used to fill up there on my way out of town. The owner had a huge piston out of an Offenhauser Indy car engine on his desk for an ashtray.

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