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Showing posts from January, 2022

New Year, New Thoughts - A Look Back at Year 1 of The Sing Oil Blog


The Signs of Sing Oil Company - Sing Oil Blog

Reflections on 2021 with The Sing Oil Blog

"It's way low. Pa's gonna know. I gotta tote a can to the Sing Oil 'fore Pa gits back"

Page 45, Where the Crawdads Sing

Twenty twenty-one not only brought great tragedy for many, but also great opportunity for others.  Had you asked me two years ago what I would be doing, some of my answers would come to fruition.  On the other hand, I never would have believed the degree of change remote work would bring to our society — or that I would take pictures of random gas stations and stores for a historical retail blog.  Had it not been for an internet search I made after a  vague recollection of '90s Publix decor, this blog would not have existed.  At that time, I had plenty of knowledge and content on Sing Oil Company, I just did not have an outlet.  I also would not have believed it if somebody had told me that I would want to write long, drawn out articles for fun! Nonetheless, my search in January, 2021, lead me to The Albertsons Florida Blog where my interest was piqued.  In a world filled with division, I had no idea that the internet continued to have such bastions of innocence left (like a blog devoted to describing the history of a failed grocer in Florida).  With the progression of the year came the progression of this blog that included more extensive coverage, interior tours, and endless newspaper rabbit holes.  While I am still in the process of shoring up some of my earlier posts that consisted of little more than an old picture and some satellite imagery, I continue to find new and interesting retail relics as I visit more former Sing Stores.  

Below I have a list of the stations I have covered during the first year of the blog.  Make sure to look at posts I have revised since their original publications because I added a lot of content to them:

Post

Location

Publication Date

Revision Status

Thomasville #5

Thomasville, GA

1/29/2021

January 26, 2022

Powder Springs

Marietta, GA

2/02/2021

 

Columbus #2

Columbus, GA

3/13/2021

Will revisit

Port St. Joe

Port St. Joe, FL

3/21/2021

September 9, 2021

Albany #3

Albany, GA

3/31/2021

 

Redan

Stone Mountain, GA

6/07/2021

 

Tallahassee #3

Tallahassee, FL

6/20/2021

January 11, 2022

Perry #1

Perry, GA

6/23/2021

November 24, 2021

Rockbridge

Stone Mountain, GA

7/15/2021

 

Columbus #7

Columbus, GA

8/04/2021

Will revisit

Columbus #8

Columbus, GA

8/12/2021

 

Tallahassee #12

Tallahassee, FL

9/02/2021

 

Bradfordville

Tallahassee, FL

9/16/2021

 January 25, 2022

Columbus #4

Columbus, GA

9/29/2021

 

Carrollton

Carrollton, GA

10/20/2021

 

Laurel

Laurel, MS

11/12/2021

 

Tallahassee #9

Tallahassee, FL

12/07/2021

 

LaGrange #2

LaGrange, GA

12/17/2021

 

LaGrange #4

LaGrange, GA

1/07/2022

 

Midway through the year, I decided to photograph stores as I wrote about them.  The first of these posts was Columbus #8, with subsequent posts having at least one picture I had taken of the store.  I intend to photograph additional stores from my earlier posts, (if they haven't been torn down) hopefully in the next year.

The Origins of the Project

When I found this hobby however-many-years ago, all I had was a box of disorganized old photographs and the vague memories of people around town.  Several years later, I found a list of station names (ex. LaGrange #2, Tallahassee #10, Trikum, Bogalusa) which still wasn't very helpful on its own.  Having not stepped foot into a Sing Store, I never imagined I would find out where those pictures were taken and what these fifty-something locations in a list meant.  Until, I realized I had a giant puzzle in front of me.  A real-life puzzle.  A real-life puzzle with lots of missing pieces, several extra pieces, and some just plain trash. 

The station list was like the front of the puzzle box and turned out to be my biggest guide; while I had no clue that Trikum, Redan, Rockbridge, and Sandy Plains were all roads in the Atlanta metro or where Tallahassee #3, Tallahassee #4, Tallahassee #6, Tallahassee # . . . were located, I at least had a guide.  At the time, an internet search for Sing Oil Company wouldn't warrant much more than results for "Singapore Petroleum Company" or a couple of listings for "CorporationWiki" that didn't have any useful information.  It took boredom, and the Leon County, FL property records, for me to find my first breadcrumb along the trail.  

Having known where several of the Tallahassee stations were, I decided to punch in an address and see what I could find in the database.  Much to my surprise, Leon county had copies of the original deeds where Sing Oil Company had bought and sold the property; the property description even stated "Sing Stop 'N Shop" nearly two-decades after the company had dissolved.  I don't think I would have come this far if I had not used Tallahassee as my test market — it was one of very few regions to have such an extensive database (Had I started on Jackson, MS, this blog would have never existed!).  From there, the pieces slowly began to come together as more and more of my pictures found modern-day matches.  Eventually, I found and confirmed all 54 stations that were open in 1990, which completed the map that can be found here.  From there, I was able to piece together what a Sing Store looked like on the inside by visiting numerous former stations and spotting common traits.  My historic pictures helped, but primarily the ones for Bradfordville and Gulfport because most stations would have been remodeled with that decor package pre-merger.  The rest is history (literally).  The final piece is the wealth of knowledge available in historical newspaper databases.

Most popular posts of the year

Tallahassee #3

LaGrange #2

LaGrange #4

My favorite posts of the year

Favorite Story: Tallahassee #3 - It was great to talk to Teal Mitchell as she remembered her fateful day in the "drive thru"

Favorite Historical Discovery: Port St. Joe - Although I wish I could have toured this vastly original station before Hurricane Michael hit in 2018, I still found loads of historical material on this location — and a crime mystery

Favorite Tour: LaGrange #2 - Making Friday date nights complete for over 50 years! (featuring orange tile)

Second Favorite Tour: Laurel & Bradfordville - Sister stations deserve the same love and one post would not be complete without the other (Sorry Tallahassee #12)

Most Creative: Thomasville #5 - This "flashy" post includes a short story about a styrofoam cup, an old video filmed at the station, and a mention of Honey Boo Boo.  You seriously should check this one out!

I had fun writing the other posts too and it is hard to narrow them down to just a few.  I am surely looking forward to what posts will come forth over the next year.  Let's just say, I have a few surprises I have found up my sleeve.

New Stuff

One of those surprises is the launch of a new series — The Sing Oil Blog: More Than Convenience.  The first edition is already available as part of my Thomasville #5 post refresh, where we explore a nearby store I photographed nearly five years ago, just before it was remodeled.  The goal of this series to is examine other retail relics not associated with Sing Oil Company but are located within the same area as the post's featured store.  When I realized I had slowly been accumulating pictures from other retail categories, I wanted to find a way to share them and their story.  I evaluated my stores of interest and found that most of them were within five miles of a Sing Store.  How fitting!  Now I can add some diversity to the blog's content while also staying close to my mission of documenting the regional gas retailer.  Be on the lookout for a visit to a certain Floridian retailer and another post with a sprinkle of Midwestern flair.

Amoco

1990's Amoco sign on US 90 in Greenville, FL - May, 2017 - Sing Oil Blog
1990's Amoco sign on US 90 in Greenville, FL - May 2017

On another topic, I wanted to share a picture I took a few years back.  I've always had an interest in the American Oil Company, not only because they are the successor to Sing, but also because it is crazy how such a prevalent brand that I have vivid memories of could disappear so quickly.  While I got to take a look at a modern Amoco in Carrollton, there is something about the original company that fascinates me.  For those who are wondering, the picture above was taken in 2017 in a tiny town named Greenville, Florida.  Even more surprising to me is how such a well preserved torch-and-oval has lasted into the 2020's!  I don't know much about the station or the market that this sign once served, but I knew I couldn't resist the opportunity to capture a glimpse of it for myself.

The Quote

In reference to my quote at the beginning of the post, The New York Times bestseller Where the Crawdads Sing mentions a fictional Sing Oil station several times throughout the novel.  In addition to the quote above, Sing is again mentioned on page 52 and 61.  Some may call this a coincidence in name and unrelated to the small company at the focus of this blog.  Normally, I would agree but Sing did operate several stations in the Carolinas around the time-period this book is set.  Furthermore, Delia Owens (the author) is from Thomasville, GA and certainly would have seen a number of Sing stations during her childhood.  Although the book is set in North Carolina, much of the scenery depicts mid-century life in Thomasville and other scenery descriptions have been compared to SoWeGa landmarks by South Georgia locals.  I have not finished the book; however, it seems like a good read for a popular title (and a good tie in for this post!).

Cheers to another year!

- The Sing Oil Blogger

LaGrange #4 - LaGrange, GA

Summit #31, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
LaGrange #4

Sing Food Store

828 North Greenwood Street

LaGrange, GA 30240

Happy New Year!  Today, we will continue our journey through LaGrange with the second hidden gem I found.  I went to four Sing Stores that day, with LaGrange #4 being the final one.  Weary after a day full of travel and photography, I almost decided to skip this store (and I'm glad I didn't).  My last post covered LaGrange #2 with a fair amount of detail, and future posts will cover the other two stores I visited:  LaGrange #1 & LaGrange #5.  Similar to my last post, I haven't found any historical media coverage of this store and even worse, I don't have any old pictures of the station.  On the other hand, it wasn't long before I realized that I didn't need any of this to discover the "musical" history of this store.  LaGrange #4's vocal chops harken back to the days of Journey and Phil Collins because in 2021, it is Sing[ing] songs straight out of the 1980's!

This station, along with the other LaGrange stores, was sold to McDonald Oil Company in June of 1993 for $450,000 as part of Amoco's effort to divest itself of Sing's non-Tallahassee stores.  After becoming Summit #31, the store would chug along (mostly unchanged) until it was sold to Apex Petro, LLC in 2013 for $725,000.  I also looks like BP Products North America issued some form of quit-claim deed a few weeks prior to this sale.  I assume this was to clear up some matter discovered during due diligence that was related to the 1990 merger.  For those who don't know, BP is the direct successor to the Sing name through their 1998 merger with Amoco.  

I'm not sure what Apex Petro calls this station so I will refer to it as the former Summit #31 since Google Maps still lists that name.  The Summit convenience store brand was used exclusively by McDonald Oil Company owned locations; although, it looks like the current occupant doesn't care about marketing their own convenience store brand.

According to property records, the land for this store was purchased by Sing in December, 1982 for $120,000.  The station would have opened in 1983, making it the last station Sing built using the prototype introduced six-years prior.  There is also a very good chance that this is Sing's last convenience store to be built without a deli; the store was never remodeled to add one during its 7 years under the Thomasville, GA management.  At roughly 2,800 sqft, this store is relatively small compared to modern convenience stores and I could tell that the current tenant felt the constraints of the space.

Exterior Photos

Summit #31, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 - December 2021
The post wouldn't be complete without Sing's vacuum and air station!

Sing loved to install this pair of light fixtures at their stations, many of which are surprisingly in-tact today.  This store featured a textbook example, complete with an Amoco-era air sign (this store using the same version as Columbus #8).  These square stations typically have the vacuum station located in the crux of the intersection out front, and LaGrange #4 was no exception.

Summit #31, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
This shot reminds me of Columbus #8.  Hmm, strange.

Judging by this shot, it looks like Amoco was the last tenant to make any changes to the exterior of this station.  The building originally would have featured a taller awning structure; however, Amoco removed the steeper part of the roofline to allow space for their Food Shop branding.  The wood paneling is a classic Sing trait, in addition to the wood columns supporting the awning.  That makes me believe the remaining awning has the same pitch as the bottom half of Sing's original structure.  One day I will have a post about the Sandy Plains store, the first to be built using this design, and share some pictures of that long-lost station.  In the meantime, let's venture inside this surviving store!

Summit #31, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
That's a lotto signs to look at

Here is a closer look at one of the "fronts" of the station.  We can see the gas payment window (welcoming us to LaGrange Shell) that doesn't look like it has been used for that purpose in quite a few years. There is an opening behind the "We Match Competitors Prices" sign where cash could be handed to the cashier. The register is located directly behind that wall, in this corner of the store.  The door on this side of the store has been blocked off, so let's walk to the other side.

Summit #31, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
That cypress paneling would look so neat if it was not painted.

Sorry for the harsh lighting in this shot, but we can see the right (wow, a double meaning!) entrance to this store. This door looks like it is newer than the one on the wrong entrance, even though it is still in its original location.

Interior Photos

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
Fine Wines, Cold Beer, and Jumbo Honey Buns

Stepping inside, we are greeted by the register to our left, faded blue paint, rust-colored tile, and diagonal shelves.  Why do these things matter?  All of these are in-tact relics from Sing Oil Company!  From here on, I realized that this station was special,  especially since it could be the only Small-Format Square Sing Store that has retained its original layout.  These 2,800 sqft stores must a bit small for convenience store operators because every other one I have seen has been reconfigured (Like Columbus #8).  

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
A map of India is really fitting for the boiled peanuts display

Turning to our right, we see some drink coolers covering the windows, snacks, and red Formica countertops with grey cabinets (remember these from Bradfordville?).  Let's continue.

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
The ceiling tiles look like they need some TLC

Turning toward the snacks, we can look out over the rest of the store and see several aisles between me and the drink coolers on the back wall.  I also notice an odd blue bulkhead that spans the wall above the coolers . . .

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
I'm surprised at how well these cabinets have held up in these old convenience stores

I got a better look at the drink center, which looks much smaller than I imagine it would have been with Sing.  Even though this store retained Sing's cabinet trash can, they still felt the need to have one sitting out in the open.  I also didn't notice any soft drinks bottled in glass, which leads me to believe the bottle opener is for cold beer.  I'm no law expert, but doesn't that violate open container laws?  I highly doubt this store has a license for on-site consumption!

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
I think the Coke shelf on the right was intended to sell product, not store it

I took this shot from the back corner of the store, opposite the register, looking toward the wall with the functional door.  This store was obviously crunched for space, judging by all of the extra coolers and Styrofoam cups stacked on top of them.  I also wonder why they installed jungle-themed wallpaper behind the two Dasani coolers — maybe it is related to the Rainforest Alliance coffee?

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
Pork Rinds

To the right of the Helados Mexico frozen desert cooler, we have none other than a full shelf of:  pork rinds.  Or maybe they are chicharrones to fit the theme!  According to Wikipedia, Troup County's population is less than 5% Hispanic so I feel like the cooler was purely coincidental.  I do wonder why a store that is this pressed for space would devote so much real estate to fried pork skins.  Any ideas?

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
As if 10 built-in coolers aren't enough

If we back up a bit more, we see the rest of the drink coolers that occupy the back wall.  I imagine Sing would have used the space under the blue border on the wall for either snacks or frozen foods (not certain).  Maybe I should have looked for a label scar since that blue paint is defiantly original.  To the right is where this store's traditional and bitcoin ATMs live, next to an early '00s Coca-Cola display rack.

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 - December 2021
Ice Ice Baby

Next up, we'll take a look at the back corner of the store, opposite the register.  This is where the stock room and ice are located.  Something about this setting looks old, don't you think?

Gulfport, MS Ice sign - Gulfport Sing Store - 1988 - Sing Oil Blog
Gulfport Sing Store - Gulfport, MS - 1988
Signage used for the ice freezer (pay attention to the "c" and "e" on the wall)

That's because it is.  The ice cooler above is original to the 1980's and matches the wood grain of other Sing ice coolers.  What is even better is the blue ICE lettering glued to the paneling.  After digging through my Bradfordville and Gulfport pictures, I found this image showing the ice cooler in Gulfport.  What do you know, the font from these pictures match exactly!  I never thought I would see it, but original Sing department signage can still be found in the wild in 2021!  Regardless, it looks like it would not be fun to remove that cooler since it is built in to the wall.  If you remember, Columbus #7 uses that space for a Coca-Cola fridge and has removed the ice freezer.

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
Sanitation Station

I decided to take a peek inside the back room (since the door was open!) and see how confined these stores really are.  To the left was the back entrance to the built-in coolers; to the right, I believe, was a small office and possibly a bit more storage.  This store is tight.

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
The life of the party

To get a better idea of how tight the space is, we can take a look at the alcohol / seating area.  It is hard for me to figure out how much stuff I am looking at in this picture, and I'm the one who took it!  Imagine if I had used my wide-angle lens!  Let's unpack this shot:

  • I spy a familiar sight to those who read my post on LaGrange #2: Fine Wines.  Unfortunately, we don't have a "pickle in-a pouch" to pair with our $5 Merlot today (Sorry, AFB).  We do, however, have an open packet of Chick-fil-A Zesty Buffalo sauce to pair with copious quantities of Bud Light.  
  • Amidst piles of boxes, there is a lone red booth (just like the one in Columbus #4).  I have no Earthly idea why this store needs a booth set since it neither serves any hot food, nor did it ever as a Sing Store.  Furthermore, I have since realized that the booths here and in Columbus differ from ones I have seen elsewhere (like LaGrange #2, Laurel, and Perry #1).  These booths are red and have a red Formica table, while the others are orange with a wood-grain table.  There is a good chance Sing just bought them at different times, but I would need to find more of them to be sure.
  • Near the top of the frame I see a blue bulkhead that is a remnant from Sing.  It still astonishes me how some of these stations haven't been repainted in over 30 years.  It wouldn't surprise me if this bulkhead had a shingle façade when it was built in 1983.  When Sing left the building, there would have been department signage along this section of wall.  The drink coolers are also original to Sing.
  • Like the other Sing-turned-Summit stations I have been to, my trip wouldn't be complete without seeing the "gambling machines" against a wall.  I also see an aged Georgia Lottery kiosk behind the small Bud Light refrigerator.  The electrical situation powering that fridge looks 100% safe and up to code!
  • I wish I knew what Sing used the nook for to the left of the built-in coolers.

Summit #31 Interior, December, 2021 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 / LaGrange #4 - December 2021
I wonder if the ceiling fan over the register is original

For our last look in this store, we see the cashier counter.  I took this shot from the center of the building, with the functional door to my left and the blocked off door to my right. As I mentioned earlier, this is the only former Sing that I have seen which still uses this configuration.  I also have not seen another store use green Formica but I'm confident it is original.  The unique layout makes this my favorite floorplan so I'm glad I got to see an original example.

Summit #31, March, 2022 - LaGrange, GA - Sing Oil Blog
Former Summit #31 - March 2020
Convenience store and laundromat addition

To close out this post, I'll include a picture from the Troup County tax records with the 2017 laundromat  addition.  I hope you enjoyed the tour through this vintage convenience store as much as I did.  I'm not sure what I'll cook up for the next post but I have been researching some of Sing's hot (and cold) experimental ventures.  Stay tuned for a trip back down South! 

- The Sing Oil Blogger

Street Views

Google Street View - February 2008
Summit #31 with private-label gasoline - View from N Greenwood Street


Google Street View - July 2013
Summit #31 as a Shell, featuring Sing parking lot lights - View from N Greenwood Street


Google Street View - November 2021
"LaGrange Shell" with newly-added laundromat next door - View from N Greenwood Street 

Aerial Views

Historic Aerials - 1981
Future site of LaGrange #4 Sing Store

Google Earth - January 1993
LaGrange #4 Sing Store, shortly before Amoco sold the station to McDonald Oil Co.

Google Earth - May 2016
Former Summit #31 with expanded gas pump canopy

Google Earth - November 2020
Former Summit #31 with 2017 laundromat addition

Additional Resources: 

Google Earth Pro

Parcel ID: 0611A011001

Troup County Property Records