Grand Rapids Gives Old Gas Stations New Life

During the past six years, 16 out of 28 unused gasoline stations have been converted into other businesses.

April 22, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Convenience stores and gasoline stations have a long history in the United States, but sometimes, the location has outlived its usefulness as a fuel retailer. Grand Rapids, Mich., had 28 abandoned gasoline stations in 2010. Today, 16 of those buildings have been revived as new businesses or updated to serve their original purpose, Rapid Growth Media reports.

A major advantage gasoline stations have is location on prime real estate on corner lots, according to Kara Wood, director of economic development for Grand Rapids. New commercial ventures in former gasoline stations include a clothing shop, taco place and coffeehouse.

“When we found Ron’s Car Wash (the old service station), we fell in love with the building—and the fact there was on-site parking—and knew we had to make it work,” said Nikki Gillette, whose women’s clothing store Lee & Birch now resides in the former service station. “The fact that we could be in a unique space on a prominent corner with parking and a garage door to open in the summers, are the main reasons we decided to move, and the reason we have been more than happy with that decision.”

Restaurateur Paul Lee transformed an old gasoline station into Donkey Taqueria four years ago. “I think one of the attractions is really going to be location,” he said. “Typically those old gas stations—and also new gas stations now, too—are located on a corner where there is going to be high automobile and foot traffic with lots of visibility, which is great from a retail or restaurant standpoint.” Lee liked the space so much that he’s now partial owner of another former gasoline station that will soon become a fried chicken restaurant.

For more about others who have converted gasoline stations into new businesses, read “Second Life,” from the October 2014 issue of NACS Magazine.

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