Moll's Mobil

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Moll's Mobil
Mollmobil-9-2007.jpg
Photo of the first "Moll's Mobil", 1917 Main Boulevard (now Walbert Avenue), Allentown, Pennsylvania, taken in September 2007. The building was razed in 2010.
General information
Type Gasoline Station
Location Allentown, Pennsylvania
Coordinates

40°37′00″N 075°30′26″W / 40.6166667°N 75.50722°W / 40.6166667; -75.50722{{#coordinates:40|37|00|N|075|30|26|W| | |name=

}}

Moll's Mobil was a chain of predominantly Mobil gasoline stations, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, between 1967 and 1971. The stations went out of business just prior to the 1973 oil crisis.[1]

No remains of the physical buildings remain. The sites have been redeveloped for other uses.[1]

Overview

The first station was built in a common 1960s service station architectural style about 1963. The main building consisted of a front sales area, that contained various sales racks for motor oil, engine additives, and various automobile accessories. It also included a cigarette machine, candy and snack sales rack and a soft drink vending machine. It also served as the area where the attendants would be located when they were not waiting on customers at the gasoline dispensing areas. [1]

The main building also contained two service bays where automobiles and light trucks were serviced, from minor oil changes to complete engine overhauls. Government safety inspections and certifications were also performed for automobiles and light trucks and vans. An office in the rear, and various storage locations for stock and various small components for cars and trucks being serviced (oil filters; air filters; belts; spark plugs). There was a small auxiliary structure outside the building where tires were kept in ready storage for sale.[1]

The facility also consisted of several gasoline dispensing islands. Each island consisted of a concrete pad for the vehicles to park and a raised concrete area which contained the gasoline pumps. In the 1960s, only two grades of gasoline were for sale, a premium and a regular type, both containing tetraethyl lead. The premium fuel at the time was rated about 97-98 Octane (today about 91-92); the regular rated at 91–92 Octane (today about 87-89), priced about 36 cents/gallon for premium; 32 cents/gallon for regular. Uniformed attendants would meet each driver and dispense the gasoline from the pump to the automobile, as well as clean the vehicle's windshield and check engine oil and fluid levels, all as part of the sale.[1]

History

A prototype station, which sold Atlantic gasoline, operated between 1963 and 1965 in the First Ward of Allentown 40°36′52″N 075°27′35″W / 40.61444°N 75.45972°W / 40.61444; -75.45972{{#coordinates:40|36|52|N|075|27|35|W| | |name= }}, and an Esso station was operated at 7th & Walnut streets 40°36′02″N 075°28′14″W / 40.60056°N 75.47056°W / 40.60056; -75.47056{{#coordinates:40|36|02|N|075|28|14|W| | |name= }} between 1965-1967. Both stations were partnerships and today the locations are used for a fruit and vegetable market and as a transfer station for the regional bus company (LANTA). The Mobil stations served both the local community as well as interstate traffic. A second station in the chain, located at Cedar Crest Boulevard and Route 22 40°36′32″N 075°31′54″W / 40.60889°N 75.53167°W / 40.60889; -75.53167{{#coordinates:40|36|32|N|075|31|54|W| | |name= }}, offered highway road service to stranded motorists, as well as 24/7 operations. Both Mobil stations also provided U-haul trailer and truck rentals. The Cedar Crest station provided additional amenities to the public, including an expanded vending area as well as hot and cold sandwiches, sold refrigerated and which could be heated in a simple microwave oven. A fifth station in the chain was located at 19th and Tilghman streets 40°36′18″N 075°30′05″W / 40.605°N 75.50139°W / 40.605; -75.50139{{#coordinates:40|36|18|N|075|30|05|W| | |name= }} which opened in August 1970, and sold Esso gasoline. The station also had a cooperative agreement with a neighboring Chevrolet dealership (Jack Dankel) by which vehicles sold by the dealership were fueled for customer demonstration drives and were filled as part of the vehicle sale.[1]

For various reasons, including unionization of workers, disputes between the gasoline companies and independent service station owners, as well as seeing a pendnig major upheaval in the gasoline business led to the closure of the facilities in July 1971. After which, the owner went into the private construction contracting business, which was successfully operated until 1996.[1]

Current status

The real estate has passed though several hands since, and have been rebuilt into modern convenience stores under different owners. None of the new facilities offer attendant gasoline sales or automotive service. The 1967 station remained abandoned for over 40 years after its closure in 1968. It was used for storage for many years, with its pump islands remaining as well as its original gasoline station exterior, eventually decaying to an extreme state of disrepair. The land was purchased in 2009 and the building was razed. Today it is the site of a convince store. The 1968 station at Cedar Crest and Route 22 has been replaced, however the "Mobil" sign 40°36′33″N 075°31′57″W / 40.60917°N 75.5325°W / 40.60917; -75.5325{{#coordinates:40|36|33|N|075|31|57|W| | |name= }} along Route 22 still stands and is visible to passing traffic on the highway, advertising a business which has long been relegated to history.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Oral history of Moll's Mobil; Brent W. Moll, son of owner Wilbur E. Moll(1929-1996)

External links


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