Full Service, Flint Style

All these memories of Shumaker's reminded me of Schmitzer's Service Station, located on Dupont near Stockdale, not far from Welch Blvd. It seemed like our car was always there when I was growing up. (There was an upholstery shop up the street run by Enoch Washington, if I remember right.) Bob Schmitzer was a great guy who weathered the economic storm and the declining neighborhood into the eighties — I think — before retiring to Florida.

Once, when self-serve was a cheaper option than full service, I rolled into the station with my mom's car and for some reason decided I'd opt for a little luxury and spend my $2 on full service. Mr. Schmitzer came out, took one look at me, shook his head, and basically told me to get my ass over to the self-serve pump. "Save you mom some money," he said.

No idea if there's still a gas station on that corner or not. The satellite image indicates there's still a building standing.


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UPDATE: J.L. comes through with some current information:

"Yes, the gas station is still there, now a Sunoco. Here are two pictures (taken from a former co-worker's Facebook) from that corner taken in 2006; my radio station was doing a gas giveaway. Go here for the first photo. And this is a picture at the corner of Dupont and Stockdale (you can see the street sign)."