FILL THE TANK, CHECK THE OIL IN WATERVILLE, OHIO -----PART THREE OF FOUR

In the earlier years of gas stations they were a service station, there to assist the customer. They would ask you if they could fill your tank up and check the oil and always washed your windshield. Many gas companies would have secret customers to make sure you did a good job and even gave gifts to the persons at the station. Today you fill your own tank! We will be doing a series of articles about the gas stations in Waterville that has been researched by Randy Studer. 

RAY’S SOHIO – BP – SUNOCO STATION @ 300 Farnsworth Rd. - Ray’s Sohio gas station opened on August 25, 1961, it was operated by Ray Mathewson from 1961 – 1976. Mathewson moved from 37 N. River Rd. to operate the new Sohio Station owned by Standard Oil of Ohio. Starting in 1976, Dolores and John Weinrich were the operators of the Waterville Sohio Service Station. It was rebranded as BP (British Petroleum) and converted into a BP gas and convenience store. It was a Gas and Go Station. It is a now a Sunoco gas and convenience store now.

GRAF BROTHERS GARAGE INC. – MOBIL STATION @ 205 Farnsworth Rd. – The Graf Brother’s Garage had its beginnings as a blacksmith shop in 1840. It evolved into the C.L. Graf and Son “Brick Garage” automotive repair shop, machine shop, Ford, Chevrolet, and Willys-Overland (Willys-Knight) dealership and Mobil gas station. Later on Ernie Graf would take over the business. The business closed in 1951, Carl Conrad who worked for Ernie Graf since 1939, purchased the business of the Graf Brothers Garage and moved it to 209 Farnsworth Rd. behind Shepler’s Meat Market. A few companies leased space in Graf’s Garage over the years like Shop of Siebert Company, Waterville Machine Co. and Toledo Rubber Products Corp. In 1962, Principal Business Enterprises, Inc. opened for business in the location and in 1969 they bought the building. On October 10, 1975, Ferd Seiple and Ron Martin dba Buckeye Associates bought the buildings from James Mitchell (Principal Business Enterprises, Inc.) and remodeled the buildings into Peddlers Alley with small retail shops with a restaurant.

LAUNDER & SONS GULF STATION @ 307 South St. – This was the new location for Albun R. “Pete” Launder & Sons (Darrel) Gulf Gas Station, which opened in May of 1963. His old location was at 815 Michigan Ave, the old J. L. Metcalf gas station building. Ed Peske (former operator of the Ed’s Shell Station) leased the building and business in May of 1973, dba Ed’s Sales and Service. He did automotive repair, used car sales and sold Gulf Products. Later it was operated by Scheub Oil. Then it was Lloyd Brothers Off Road Center and then the building was sold to John Spilker in 2014.

ED’S SHELL STATION – PENNZOIL STATION @103 Anthony Wayne Trail – The Shell Oil Co. built and opened a service station in November of 1960. It was operated by Ed Peske. At some time (late 1960’s) the station was remodeled into the Shell rancher design. A third bay was added to the station. In that bay was a front end alignment machine. In April of 1973, Ed Peske went out of business. Kevin Enright leased the station from Shell Oil then it was Kevin’s Super Shell. Later on it was Kevin’s Pennzoil Gas Station, Barneys Convenience Store and now it is a Circle K convenience store and gas station.