Laurel - Laurel, MS

Laurel

Sing Food Store | Deli

3649 Highway 15 North

Laurel, MS 39440

For a bit of a break in the tradition of this blog, this week we are going to venture to one of the oddities of Sing's territory expansion in the 1980's.  For those who don't know, Sing began to move west during the '80s with a handful of stations in Alabama (3), Mississippi (8), and Louisiana (1).  I say odd because Sing acquired one station in Alabama (Gadsden) and built two others identical to this station that they sold off less than three years after completion. For Mississippi, Sing started in Jackson by at least the late '70s and built seven other stations that I have record of throughout the '80s.  Louisiana got its one-and-only station in Bogalusa, which was probably built around 1985.  I guess Sing decided that Mississippi was the new land of promise after covering much of Georgia and a few other locations in North Florida.  I'm not sure if I understand this choice, and it seems like Amoco didn't really value these stations as much as those in other markets (ehhm . . . Tallahassee) either.  Regardless, they happened, and I found myself in South Mississippi; I just had to take a few detours from a work trip to see these mysterious creatures.  Out of all 12 of these Western stations, 11 are still open, and only one of them is a Circle K.  Just as a reminder, Sing had 12 stations in Tallahassee and two more lots that would be developed in the '90s; 13 of those 14 stations remain open today as Circle K stations.  While the Circle K Sing Stores seem to be the best maintained, the independents, like this one, are the most original.

I believe this store was built in 1985, which would put it right in the middle of the four-year span that this floor plan was built.  I also think that all seven of the stations built like this included a delicatessen, and we will see some reaffirming evidence once inside this store.  The first newspaper record I have for Laurel is in 1985; the Jackson Clarion-Ledger mentions it in coordination with survey information, but I do not have a concrete year on when it was built.  As far as I can tell, this station swapped from Amoco to Texaco around the turn of the millennium, went unbranded around 2010, and became Alliance Energy #4 sometime between 2014 and 2019.

Based on what I have found through my research, historical photos, and having visited three of the large-format square style stores, I am pretty certain that all of them had the same interior floor plan.  Therefore, this station would have looked nearly identical to Bradfordville when it was completed.  Since I have extensive historical documentation in that post, I will only show what I found in Laurel on my November, 2021 trip. 

Interior Photos

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Anyone up for a nice room-temperature Faygo or Moon Mist?

As you can tell from this first picture, the inside of this store was a bit cluttered and had a bit of rearrangement since its construction.  As a point of reference, this shot was taken right as I walked in the door, with the three rows of fluorescent lights running perpendicular to the entrance and the long side of the floor tiles parallel.  The aisles used to run roughly under the light rows, and the shelves would have been on either side.  Also, it looks like the walls have been covered with green and blue stripes near the top, so we don't get a treat like Columbus #4.

 

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Too many drinks, not enough shelves . . . or customers

With that being said, a couple of things have not changed in this store for the 35+ years it has been open.  To start, the fluorescent light fixtures are identical to the ones from my Bradfordville pictures, which would also mean the dropped ceiling is probably original, too.  The floor tile is also the same and seems to have stood up pretty well for how long it has been there.  The last thing I was most excited about in this store was the possibility that it still had the deli seating area - and it did.

 

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Ooh, so bright and comfy!

Behind the stacks of drinks in the second picture were the original booths arranged just as they would have been in 1985!  I saw nearly identical booths to these in Columbus #4 and thought that these new-build deli stores would have featured some sort of seating area like this.  This store even kept the pendant lights over each booth and the partition wall to separate the seating from the rest of the store.  I'm not sure why these lights were white and not red like the ones found in Bradfordville or Columbus, but maybe Sing used different variations of them. It doesn't look like many people use these booths considering how many boxes there are here, but who knows. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Which brings more happiness: ice cream or the lotto? You can get your cash for either here!

 

Here is a wider view of the seating area that is located just to the right of the entrance.  A magazine rack would have been where the Blue Bunny freezer is. Automotive supplies would have been along the partition wall where the Dasani, Coke, and Lottery shelves are.  I didn't get a picture, but I could also see label scars on the bulkhead around the perimeter of the store.  This means the current occupant just ripped the Sing letters off the wall and plastered the striped stickers over the original painted drywall.  The gap to the left of the partition is a pass-through to get to the restrooms and formerly had corresponding signage.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Some nice orange tile to brighten up this dingy bathroom

I was able to venture into the restroom and noticed some orange tile around the ceiling.  I believe this was the same tile used on the wall behind the register but it looks original, regardless.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
It looks like the toilet paper shortage struck here too

Moving back to the store we see the original Sing drink coolers mostly in their original configuration.  Although, there is definitely a wider section of beer in this store than Sing would have had.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
I guess all of the beer drinkers had the munchies too

Dairy used to occupy the entire three coolers to the right, and garden / hardware would have been to the right of the exit / cooler hallway.  Soft drinks would have been in the coolers under the Dos Equis and Miller Lite signs.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
This store must sell a lot of beer - and Smirnoff Ice

Turning 180 degrees from there, we would have been looking at the wine coolers (now the beer cave under the Corona and Yuengling signs) and the snack section (where the fountain machine is).  Beer would have been in the three coolers to my right, next to soft drinks.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Is that real granite I see? Nope, just Formica.

Heading back to the front of the store, we see a better view of the former snack section and the old location of the "Drink Center" island.  There is a black spot in the floor where the electric lines used to run to the drink island, and the copper wires were sanded off (how safe!).  Also, the remainder of the short wall to the left of the drink fountain was the frozen food section.  The deli would have been in the far left of this shot.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Daiquiri Drive - or whatever all of that mess is

Here is a better view of the old deli.  It looks like this store may still offer some form of hot food, but the counter was mostly cluttered with lighters and other sketchy gas station paraphernalia.  It looks like all of the cabinets in this store have been replaced with a faux granite Formica.  I can also see where the original tile behind the counter has been painted over with green, blue, and white.  It is interesting that this store did not have the two short, high windows behind the register like Bradfordville.  Tallahassee #6 and the stores built in 1985 or later didn't get these either.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Free air: you're breathing it now

What former Sing station would be complete without the vacuum lights?  While it looks like the fixtures were swapped out during this station's Amoco days, the poles look to be original and I'm sure the concrete pad is too.  The "Free air" sign is also an Amoco addition.  I'm not sure what happened to the original vacuum unit, but it also doesn't look like anybody has gotten air here in quite a few years.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Chartreuse? Lime? Electric? Harlequin?

Something interesting about several of these Mississippi stores is how the awning is configured.  While it is not entirely original, the lower portion looks like it has the same pitch as it would have in the '80s.  I assume Amoco modified these because all of the Mississippi stations (except Gulfport) got the same treatment while the Enterprise, AL and Opp, AL stores that were sold before the merger had their original awnings in to the 2000's.  Furthermore, this station still had the original Sing fluorescent lights over the awning which is very rare to see in 2021.  Those same lights can be seen with the original awing in the (surprisingly) Bradfordville post.

Alliance Energy #4 - November, 2021
Admittedly, a beautiful fall day in Mississippi

In closing, the Laurel, MS Sing Store may look a bit different than it did in 1990 but if you know where to look you can find plenty of original pieces of Sing Oil Company history.  Let's see how long it takes to visit another station that was part of Sing's '80s westward expansion . . .

Street Views

Google Street View - September, 2019

Alliance Energy #4 calls the Laurel Sing Station home - View from Highway 15

 

Google Street View - April, 2014

 Texaco has left the building - View from Highway 15

 

 

Google Street View - November, 2007

It looks like Texaco took over after Amoco left town - View from Highway 15

Aerial Views

Historic Aerials - 1980
Future site of Laurel Sing Store on the corner of Hwy 15 & Bush Dairy Rd

Google Earth - March, 1996
Former Laurel Sing Store, presumably as an Amoco station

Google Earth - June, 2016
Former Laurel Sing Store as Alliance Energy #4

Additional Resources: 

Historic Aerials

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Parcel ID: 147J-19-08-004.00

S: 19 T: 09 R: 11

Jones County Property Records

Carrollton - Carrollton, GA

The West Georgian - March 3, 1982

Carrollton

Sing Food Store | Chevron Gas | Laundry

1213 Maple Street

Carrollton, GA 30117

Similar to Port St. Joe, I originally did not think I would have enough historical content to make this post worthwhile; boy was I wrong.  Since most of the photos in my collection date from the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s, I do not have a picture of this station in its original form. However, thanks to the Georgia Historic Newspaper project, I was able to uncover a whole host of information about this station from The West Georgian which is the student newspaper for The University of West Georgia - or West Georgia College at the time of this station's construction.  Regardless, let's dive in to some history of this somewhat full-circle Sing station and see what it looks like today.

The West Georgian - September 15, 1978
Grand opening ad for food store, gasoline, and laundry

Built in 1978, the Carrollton Sing Store is located just off the Eastern edge of West Georgia's campus on Maple Street.  For those not familiar, Maple Street is the main thoroughfare from the college to downtown Carrollton and the larger business districts along US Highway 27 to the East.  Since this store was located so close to a college, it had to use different marketing techniques to appeal to the 18-22 year-old students such as stocking lots of cold beer and providing a laundromat with full laundry service next door.  The sign at the top of this post highlights all of the "school supplies" and amenities this Sing Store offered to the students of West Georgia.  

The Battle of the Books

 

The West Georgian - October 3, 1984
Guest Editorial ranting about Sing Store having a larger selection of books than the bookstore

 

Interestingly, I discovered a guest editorial in The West Georgian which praises (or at least acknowledges) Sing's expansive selection of goods which could rival that of any . . . college book store?  The primary focus of the article is to complain about the West Georgia bookstore having nothing more than textbooks and souvenirs with the assertion that the nearby Sing gas station has a more expansive literature section.  "Because it has a magazine rack, the Sing gas station offers more current reading matter than the bookstore.  In fact, it also has more books (excluding textbooks, of course)."  While I am not explicitly sure this is as much of a compliment toward the Sing Store as a jab at the bookstore, it is humerus how the station would play into the politics of campus life. 

The West Georgian - October 17, 1984
Letter To The Editor in response to claims of the bookstore being insufficient

Two weeks after the original editorial was published which bashed the bookstore, a letter to the editor from a sociology professor was printed in response.  Through an academic tone, the professor lashed the editorial's statements in many regards; consequently, the Sing Store comment was also rebutted.  Coates claims that this "is evidence of the lack of taste of Mr. Tierce — I mean who really reads those sleazy paperbacks.  For the most part these books are only fit for the lining of either a bird cage or to house train one's dog, not for serious reading."  While it is obvious that the literature department at the Sing Food Store was a contested topic, the professor did not have to relegate all of the content to bird excrement!  In all seriousness, I can't imagine the novels carried in a Sing Store were written by any literary genius but they would have never been intended for more than light entertainment.  I don't even see books in my 1984 pictures of the Bradfordville station but I do observe a magazine rack next to the door and several adult magazines (such as Playboy) behind the cashier.  All of this goes to show the intent of Mr. Tierce in his original editorial was attempting to highlight the lack of books in a bookstore and unintentionally portray the wide selection at a Sing Food Store, all while creating "beef" with a sociology professor.

Sing Laundry Store

The West Georgian - February 25, 1981
Ad for the newly expanded Sing Laundry Store

 

As far as I am aware, the Carrollton store was the only location to have a laundromat run by Sing Oil Company.  Rockbridge Road, Trickum Road, and Albany #3 leased space to third-party dry-cleaning services but I don't have record of other stations running full laundromats.  It seems nice for a convenience store to offer a wash, dry & fold service for 30¢ a pound, especially for students living in a dorm.  Presumably due to its proximity to a college is why this station was unique in that regard.  According to another 1981 paper, Sing also began to operate on a 24/7 basis "For Your Shopping Convenience."

Other Services and Info

The West Georgian - October 6, 1978
West Ga. College Students, We Appreciate Your Business

At the time it opened, this store's staff included E. O. Bretherick, manager, and Mac Hollis, assistant manager.  I don't know much about these two men but I do know that they would have been part of the influence to adapt this station to the surrounding collegiate environment.  Most station managers had the freedom to carry special merchandise and tailor the experience to the local market.  Although many aspects were standardized across all Sing convenience stores, the managers did take a degree of ownership in the daily operation of their store without providing any financial investment. Furthermore, many stations would participate in charitable events around their communities or donate to causes.  Being so close to the college, this station would host car washes for student groups trying to raise money or provide prizes for raffles such as the one for ΑΚΨ below.

 

The West Georgian - February 20, 1980
Raffle for 50 gallons of gasoline (of your choice)

Snow Day!

The West Georgian - January 20, 1982
Snow Melts to Icy Reality for West Georgia Students

 

It is typical for Northern Georgia to get 1-2 snow storms a year and the early 1980s were no exception to that rule.  With snow in the south comes snow days at school and with snow days comes parties for college students.  "'It was cold as Hell out, and people were buying cold beer,' said an employee at Sing Food Store shaking his head.  Manager E.O. Breththick [sic] commented, 'It's the best day we've ever had.  We've exceeded it by about $1500 after the first snow fall Tuesday.'"  Which shows how dedicated college students are to their extracurricular activities when no school work is assigned.

The West Georgian - January 26, 1983
Beer is Hot Item Through Snow and Ice Storm

The beer runs continued in the Winter of 1983 after a January storm caused another snow day for students.  According to The West Georgian, "Sing Food Store probably sold more beer than any other local merchant, being the closest to the college.  E.O. Bretherick, manager of the convenience store said, 'We were extra busy (due to the storm) and we would love to have one every week.'  Bretherick said they were prepared for the mass quantities of beer that was sold but they did run out of bread."  At least it seems like the local merchants were able to adapt and learn from the 1982 snow storm to be prepared for 1983.  It seems to be hard to keep college students away from their beer!

The Treasure Hunt

The West Georgian - September 23, 1981
"Treasure Hunt! An Innocents Guide to the Riches of Carrollton."
Sing also had an ad on page 6A of this week's paper.

While I may not have any pictures of the Carrollton Sing Store from the Twentieth-Century, I did stumble across a "Treasure Map" for new students attending West Georgia College.  Probably due to its location, the Sing Store was destination #1 (I'm sure this relates to all the beer it sold) and outranked pizza restaurants, fast food restaurants, clothing shops, and a bank.  While it is a sketch, the drawing does depict the Sing Store's neighbors to this day: McDonald's to the left and Domino's Pizza to the right. Furthermore, this picture shows that the Carrollton location had a shingled awing supported by the wood columns that would be seen at many other locations around; unfortunately, these architectural features were probably removed from this store in the early-90's. 

The Brands

Similar to Columbus #4, this station sold Chevron gas but used the same sign hardware as every other Sing Station at the time.  The sign at the top of this post would have looked like the one at Powder Springs with the exception of using the Chevron brand instead of the Standard brand to fit the local market (Oddly, the Standard name was licensed to Chevron for use throughout the state. One such station remains today).  Since I have evidence that this station sold Chevron gas upon opening, there is a chance that it never sold Sing gas but only had a Sing branded food store. I also have not been able to find whether or not this station was remodeled to add a deli in the mid-80's.  

The West Georgian - January 14, 1987
Maple Street Amoco Station Now Open

While I was digging through the papers, I found an ad for an Amoco station on Maple Street that caught my eye.  The only problem was that it was printed three-years prior to the Amoco-Sing merger.  The other interesting part of this ad is that it is for a Morgan Oil Company station, who happens to be the current owner of the Sing Store.  According to their website:

"In 1985, with the help of David Hay, a local builder, Betty and Jimmy Morgan razed and rebuilt two service stations that W.M. Smith had previously built in 1955. This time, however, they opened them as convenient stores. One was . . . H.O. Jordan’s Amoco on Maple Street. Jimmy introduced a new type of gas pump to Georgia commonly referred to as a MPD (multi product dispenser). All three grades of gas were in hands reach.

. . . After acquiring a store on Maple Street, which was later named West GA Amoco (now BBW), Morgan Oil Company went back to Douglasville to build on a vacant lot along I-20 that had promise of a new exit ramp and a Regional Mall."

I don't necessarily believe the 1985 date on Morgan Oil's website because I give more credibility to the "Now Open" ad in the paper; regardless, this shows the rebuilt Amoco station located about a half-mile from the Sing store.  As the next paragraph mentions above, the Maple Street Amoco would soon be a sister station to West Georgia Amoco (a.k.a. Sing).  

The West Georgian - October 21, 1992
West Georgia Amoco VIP Card

By 1992, Morgan Oil was running ads in  The West Georgian for the West Georgia Amoco VIP card to help students save on gas, soft drinks, copies, and beer.  The ad also shows the address of the station, which happens to be that of the Sing Store and proving the brand conversion had occurred.

Morgan Oil (Facebook) - 2015
Post highlighting the BBW gas station near the University of West Georgia

Carroll County Property Records state that Morgan Oil Company, the regional Amoco distributor, bought the property on August 13, 1992 for $496,000. The sign for BBW shown above was used from at least the early-2000's until 2021.  There is a chance that the hardware could have been from the 80's Sing brand refresh but I don't have any evidence besides circumstance.

Carrollton Sing Store - Currently BBW/West Georgia Amoco - March, 2021
The old store has gone through some renovations since 1990 and now has a Jimmy John's where the Laundromat was until the mid-2010's

The station would remain an Amoco until at least 2000 when an ad was run in the West Georgia newspaper for a Carnival Cruise sweepstakes.  Sometime in the early-00's, Morgan Oil converted the station to BBW (Braves Beverage Warehouse, in reference to West Georgia's former mascot) where it sold non-branded gas for nearly 20 years.  

Carrollton Sing Store - Currently BBW/West Georgia Amoco - March, 2021
View from the corner of Maple Street and Cunningham Drive

Returning to the full-circle comment from above, I happened to drive by this station in March and was floored to see that it was an Amoco, again.  After a nearly twenty-year hiatus, the brand had made a return to Carrollton and a return to this station.  For those who don't know, BP revived the Amoco brand in 2017 to serve areas of market overlap, primarily where a BP station is close by.  Naturally, this station was the perfect fit since Morgan Oil has the Maple Street BP only a half-mile away.  Tax records indicate that Morgan Oil may have renovated the Sing Station in 1994 but they did a full interior remodel in 2012 so few traces of the former brand remain.

Carrollton Sing Store - Currently BBW/West Georgia Amoco - March, 2021
I see some Sing-era vacuum lights still in place

Coincidentally, I grew up getting gas from this station before I realized Sing Oil Company had ever existed.  BBW was where my grandmother would always stop to fill up because it was one-of-four (then three, then two) stations in town who would accept her personal checks.  I have fond memories of her driving up to the pump, stepping out of her Cashmere 2006 Ford Explorer, waving her checkbook at the cashier through the convenience store windows, and proceeding to fill up her tank.  She would then fill out her check with the total purchased and walk inside to pay the attendant.  It seems archaic that anybody in the twenty-first century would pay for gas with a check but somehow the management of this station remained accommodating to their customers decades after it left Sing's control.  Albeit, one employee did say that my grandmother was one of three people the attendants were authorized to accept checks from because they always cleared.  

West Georgia Amoco - March, 2021
View from Cunningham Drive

 

I thought this post had enough content already, but here is an article from The West Georgian that discusses the 1979 gas crisis which would have affected this station.

  Google Street Views

Google Street View - October, 2019

BBW before conversion back to Amoco - View from Maple Street
 

Google Street View - April, 2009

BBW (Braves Beverage Warehouse) - View from Maple Street
 

Aerial Views

Historic Aerials -1972

Carrollton before construction of Sing Store

 

Historic Aerials - 1972 

Historic Aerials -1981

Carrollton Sing Store with original gabled pump canopy, offset to left of store

Google Earth - January, 1993

West Georgia Amoco with new canopy, original McDonald's to left and Domino's to right

 

Google Earth - November, 2019

BBW with new McDonald's building to left and Domino's to right

Additional Resources: 

Historic Aerials

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Parcel ID:C08 0300011

Carroll County Property Records 

The City Menus - BBW Renovation

Georgia Historic Newspapers Ad

Columbus #4 - Columbus, GA

 

Columbus #4

Sing Food Store | Chevron Gas

3809 Saint Marys Road

Columbus, GA 31906

Updated with Ledger article: June 20, 2022 | Original Publication: September 29, 2021

Built in 1970, Station #4 was Sing's deepest entry into South Columbus and resides just over 2.5 miles away from the edge of Fort Benning Army base.  Just off Exit 3 of I-185, the station was likely intended to serve interstate travelers who needed a break for gas just before the long, empty stretch of road to the South known as Corridor Z (US 280/GA 520/US 27/GA 1).  Today, this area of Columbus is primarily made up of Military and low-income people and does not have the best reputation with regards to crime.  While that is good for the purpose of this blog, as it means the station has gone through very few changes in the 30+ years since its Sing days, it also means that this Sing Store lacks much of the prestige it likely once had.  I can definitely say it was not the worst Sing Store I have visited but it could have used a bit of T.L.C. and smelled faintly of marijuana on the inside.  Lucky for me the cashier of this store (Summit #33) seemed more focused on his phone conversation in a foreign language than somebody taking pictures of the convenience store for an internet blog on gas station history.  He also needed to restock their small and medium fountain drink lids; I typically buy something from these stores so I don't look entirely suspicious.  

According to Muscogee County property records, Sing purchased this property on July 1, 1969 for $62,500 and transferred it between holding companies twice (March, 1981 & October, 1990).  Sing Oil Company had a variety of divisions for tax and legal purposes so it is common to see stations distributed amongst various entities such as SDE (Sing Distributing Enterprises?) and Sing Industries, Inc.  The October 22, 1990 transfer was a measure taken to consolidate and prepare the company for the Amoco-Sing merger that would conclude just over a week later.  Amoco, operating as Sing Industries, Inc., later sold this station for $580,000 to McDonald Oil Company on June 23, 1993.  There must have been a clause for Amoco to keep the acquired company operational for 2.5 years because they began to sell off a number of stores beginning in mid-1993.  In 2019, McDonald Oil sold their retail assets to West Georgia Commercial Properties, with this station selling for $2.1 million.  It is crazy to think how a 50 year old convenience store can sell for so much money!

The keen-eyed reader may wonder why there is no mention of Columbus #3 anywhere on the blog:  that is because there is no official record of this station.  It would have opened between 1965 (Columbus #2) and 1970 (This station) but could have been a dealer station, a standard convenience store, or a leased location.  It is plausible that Columbus #3 was on Peacock Avenue near Wynnton Road because "Peacock Avenue" was scratched out on the back of my Columbus #7 photo and I have heard other anecdotal evidence but nothing that can be confirmed.

The storm of May, 1983

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - May, 1983
News photo of the original 1970 pump canopy that blew over during a strong thunderstorm

At the Sing Food Store, 3809 St. Mary’s Road, Columbus, the two-ton canopy covering the gas pumps was lifted from its supports and thrown against the store, coming to rest partly on the roof. Two gas pumps were torn from the concrete and all the store’s windows were smashed.

Parlay Thorne, manager of the store, said he and two other employees heard the storm approaching about 5:30 a.m.

“We didn’t see it coming, but we heard it and it was three of us trying to hold the doors closed.” Thorne said, “When the doors started to pulsate, we ran to the back of the store.”

The Columbus Ledger - May 16, 1983

While I had previously not been able to locate any written details of this event, I came across several newspaper pictures on Ebay of this station taken on May 16, 1983.  According to Wikipedia, the 1983 hurricane season was mild and the first storm developed in July:  showing that this was not hurricane damage.  Additionally, I could not find any reports of tornadoes touching down in Georgia or Alabama around this time; therefore, I believe it must have been a strong thunderstorm that blew the canopy over and knocked out the sign behind the station.  

After visiting the Columbus / Muscogee County Library, I was able to look through their microfilm collection of The Columbus Ledger to find the article corresponding to this photograph.  Thank goodness my picture had a date on it, or else it would've been like looking for a needle in a haystack!  I'm these pictures were from The Columbus Ledger and they were taken by Allen Horne to depict the damage inflicted upon South Columbus during the early morning hours of May 16, 1983 by a strong thunderstorm.  The photo above is the one which ended up being published in The Ledger, while the one below must have been a back up option.  I do wonder if the photo below could have been published the next day, but didn't bother to scroll through the extra microfilm!

With regards to the sign behind the convenience store, I believe it was for the branch of First Federal Savings & Loan that was located next door on Oakley Drive.  The pieces remaining on the sign look like the top section said "First" and the middle section read "Federal" while the bottom showed time and temperature.  According to Muscogee County property records, this bank branch has traveled through several companies during its life including Barnett Federal Savings Bank, SouthTrust Bank, and finally Wachovia.  

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - May, 1983
News photo of the Chevron pump canopy that landed that on the Sing convenience store

The first picture looks like it was taken immediately after the storm while the second was taken several hours later because the sky seems a bit brighter.  These pictures did reveal that the St. Marys Road station sold Chevron gas for a period and featured the branded 1980s pump spanner (More glimpses of 1980s Chevron styling will be shared on the post for Columbus #1).  I had previously thought that select stations in the Atlanta market were Chevron branded and the rest of the stations sold Sing branded gas; however, I have found other references of Chevron gas at other stations.  Over its lifetime I have pictures of this station selling both brands of gasoline, as shown above and below.

 

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - 1970
The recently opened Sing store selling Sing branded gas and featuring the canopy that would blow over in a 1983 thunderstorm.  Notice the light poles were repainted black in the picture at the top.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
This Summit station has gone through few exterior changes since its days as a Sing

In 2021, this station remains largely unchanged from how it looked in 1990 as a Sing.  I will share some photos from my visit and point out a few (or many) of the traits that survive over 30 years later.  The first is from the photo above; while the brick has been painted white, the original doors are in place and the distinctive diagonal wood paneling can still be found on the bottom of two of the windows.  It looks like Sing modified all of their existing stations with paneling sometime in the mid-1980s, possibly when they added in-store delis.

Muscogee County Property Records - February 23, 2015
Summit / Shell station as seen from St. Marys Road

Interior Photos

Stepping inside the store, we are greeted with the Sing grey and red Formica cabinets that are in the same location as they would have been in the 1980s.  The pegboards that are now home to candy were originally intended for rolls of film but have since been repurposed.  Also, the plexiglass around the cashier is an addition of the current tenant that reflects the rough neighborhood where this station is located.  I can confidently say that the drink coolers to the right are original and I would assume that the laminate flooring is a vintage relic as well.  This store was probably built before Sing began installing the red/orange tile that is seen in other stores.  I do see one more relic behind the plexiglass that was personally shocking to me but I will get to that later . . .

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
Cashier counter of Summit #33 / Sing Columbus #4

To the right of the entry is the snack shelves and some other drink coolers.  I'm not sure what would have originally been on that wall but it could have been hardware or garden supplies.  Since I don't have any pictures of this store format in the 1980s, this station is the closest thing I have to an original.  I do see a scar where a shelf has been moved about two feet toward the rear of the store though.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
A bit dingy, ay?

Taking another step back, we see two more Sing originals: the red booth sets and the red pendant lights.  I didn't notice the lights until I was writing this post but the identical fixtures can be seen behind the counter and above the Drink Center in Bradfordville.  I assume the booths were moved away from the window to put the ice cream chest freezer because they otherwise seem out of place.  This store might have had a partition between the seating area and the rest of the store but I am not sure.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
I spy three Sing red pendants and two Sing red booths

 

Turning to the left, we see that a corner cabinet was removed to build the plexiglass wall around the cash register based on the discolored flooring.  I assume this was reused for the fountain drink island because it looks like it is the correct shape and in a random location.  Possibly the most interesting relic left is on the wall behind the cashier:  the paint.  I was shocked when I saw it, but the interior of this store has not been painted since the mid-80's!  My Bradfordville pictures show how Sing painted the wall behind the deli red and had a blue strip that ran around the perimeter of the store.  Summit covered this strip with a faux-brick wallpaper above the cooler but left it visible around the rest of the store.  I never thought I would see a store with vintage paint yet here we are!

 

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
Is that red and blue Sing paint I see!?!?

I believe I found the missing cabinet which moved all of five feet.  It is interesting how management bothered to hang a round sign from the ceiling promoting the soft drinks when they didn't bother doing so much more in this store.  I'm not sure what the counter behind the fountain drink machine was used for in the Sing days but it is used for haphazard storage now.  The blue Sing stripe on the wall is visible in this picture too.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
Counter used for the "new" fountain drink and coffee center

Here is the other side of the drink counter which is home to coffee and Cappuccinos.  While it may not be original, I would not be surprised if the open-faced cooler in the background has been there for a long, long time.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
Coffee station with original straw holder and open-faced drink cooler

Turning a bit more to the left, we see several ceiling tiles that show water damage and some more laminate tiles in need of repair.  I also believe there are some "gambling" machines behind the shelf of snacks.

Columbus #4 - St Marys Road - September, 2021
The front left corner of Summit #33 convenience store

And that concludes our journey into an amazingly original former Sing Store.

Google Street Views

Google Street View - August 2019

Current Summit / Shell station - View from St. Marys Road

Google Street View - March 2008

Money Back / BP station - View from St. Marys Road

Google Street View - November 2007

Money Back / BP station with old gas pumps - View from Oakley Drive

Google Street View - November 2007

Hardee's adjacent to station with 1970s Logo - View from St. Marys Road

 

Aerial Views

 

Historic Aerials -1968

St. Marys Road before construction of Sing Store

Historic Aerials - 1981

Columbus #4 Sing Store with original gas pump canopy

Google Earth - February, 1999

Amoco station with 1983 pump canopy and widened St. Marys Road

Google Earth - February, 2003

BP station with 2000s pump canopy moved further from the road

Google Street View - November 2020

Shell station in its current form on the Northwest corner of the intersection

Additional Resources: 

Historic Aerials

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Parcel ID: 088 051 028

Muscogee County Property Records