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Last Independent Gas

Back in January of this year Russ posted a great forward looking item that predicted, among other things, that "the area on the east side of the railroad tracks, near Howard Avenue and near Bayswater Avenue will see some of the auto related uses disappear and housing or offices appear in their place."

Yesterday, eagle-eyed blogger Pete Garrison sent me a photo of John Lam in his Smog All shop that is co-located with the Olde English Garage that many know as Coast gas operated by Jaguar Bob (see the first photo in the January post).  The reason was that Pete was John's last smog inspection and the end has finally come for this independent station.  We have known is was coming. Gas sales ceased about a year and a half ago (along with full-service, remember "full service")?  The good news is Jaguar Bob is moving over to California Dr., so all you Olde Englishmen can still tap his expertise.  Nonetheless, it merits a post and a pic.  End of an era.

Smog All

Every vehicle I took to John passed.  True Gems of B'game.  Three stories of retail/office space are apparently on the way.

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15 responses to “Last Independent Gas”

  1. Jennifer

    Yeah, and I loved driving my various jalopies up to Bob’s for full service gas, clean windows and an occasional blast of hot air (not only for the tires, but for speaking his mind– Bob isn’t known for being shy). The original outpost location of the “Don’t Railroad Us” billboard (HRS realities) so many years ago, that morphed into HS Boodoggle. Thanks to Bob for all the support of this neighborhood. I know you still are an eastsider at heart (and you still live in our neck of the woods!) Best of luck on California Drive. Thanks for posting–Russ, and Joe.

  2. hollyroller@hotwire.com

    What is going to happen to:
    Honza-Datsonville
    Don-Burlingame Auto Clinic
    “Say it ain’t so Joe.”

  3. Laura

    I’ve heard, that it will be a commercial office building. Not too sure of the number of stories but minimum of three.

  4. hillsider

    Almost everyone passes these days. It’s a state sponsored racket to collect more fees. The one thing it could have done was to catch the Volkswagen emissions fraud and it failed at that.

  5. David

    Very glad to hear that Bob is relocating and will be staying in business, and I’ll miss walking by and admiring some of those Jags, MGs and the like. I will always remember a bumper sticker I saw on an old Land Rover parked in the lot, which may explain why Bob will remain in business: “The parts falling off this vehicle are of the finest British manufacture.”
    Earlier this year I saw a Planning Commission sign on the corner saying that an office building was planned for the site, though don’t know whether anything has been approved.

  6. hollyroller@hotwire.com

    I remember that the City of Burlingame financed and supported the relocation of Sam’s Deli to City of Burlingame owned property-The Greyhound Station on Howard and California Dr.
    How can that be OK for one, if not for all?
    Being that The City of Burlingame Tax Monies were used to enrich a Private Owned Business?
    Joe?

  7. Sir Paul

    The city has wasted so much money on stupid studies over the years .$100,000’s of dollars .It’s all about the golden rule of real estate of putting land into its highest an best use.Sam’s Deli is an will always be a treasured institution before an now.Just ask anybody that’s lived in this town for the past 30 years.

  8. hollyroller@hotwire.com

    I like Sam’s too.
    That does not allow for City Elders to just give money away to any private business.
    That is just wrong and illegal.

  9. Sir Paul

    A lot of things go on in this country that are to say less than perfect.From the Whitehouse to our city.But honesty will always prevail over lying ,thieving,cheating,duping ,hypercritical ,spineless jelly fish that preside in our city.

  10. Samiselfie

    Personally, I will miss that fabulous female maniquin that was perched in a great sports car on Bob’s property!
    Good luck at your new place, Bob. You are a great neighborhood fixture.

  11. Joe

    You guys have to remember that just because hollyroller thinks he remembers something, that does not make it true. In this case, he has thrown us two curve balls that are both out of the strike zone.
    First, he asserts that the City “supported the relocation of Sam’s” and that “City Elders just gave money away”. These are BOTH WRONG. All the City did was lease the old bus station to Sam’s and the owners invested substantial money OF THEIR OWN to turn it from a shell eyesore into a functioning sandwich shop.
    When ConfusedRoller asks “How can that be OK for one, if not for all?” he apparently does not know that Jaguar Bob OWNED his property and chose to SELL it. Nothing wrong with that and the City had nothing to do with it for better or worse. The old gas tanks will have to come out and the City will keep an eye on that I’m sure.
    Lesson for the Day: Just because hollyroller seems to think something or remember something does not make it true. Such are the travails of blogging.

  12. hollyroller@hotwire.com

    Well how about everyone having a Very Merry Christmas!

  13. Cathy Baylock

    And Merry Christmas to you, too, Hollyroller: http://www.liftbump.com/2014/12/30442-cappella-rendition-o-holy-night-reminds-us-christmas/

  14. hillsider

    Forgive and forget. At least until Dec 26th.

  15. pat giorni

    I’ll never forget “Bob’s Got Gas” and how it made me laugh every time I biked by.

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