Hutch Post, in partnership with Steve Harmon and the Conard-Harmon Collection, is proud to present Throwback Thursday. Enjoy a weekly release from Steve Harmon as he presents the "Hutch - Then & Now Collection."
STEVE HARMON
Hutch Post Contributor
Today's "Throwback Thursday Collection" takes us to the southwest corner of 27th Avenue and North Main.
This property has always been a gasoline dispensing facility. The first service station was built here in 1960 and labeled as the "Larkland Champlin Service" with Max Hutchins as its manager. The first photo shows this station as Charlie's Larkland Champlin with the Deming Film Stop and Sandy's Restaurant in the background in 1968.
The management of this station changed hands many times between 1960 and 1983, with names such as Rod Holdredge, Harold Herrman, Charles Pitts, Carl Curless, Jerry Gross, Lynn Morton, Ken Collins, Carolyn Carr and Sue Lutz.
In 1983, Stanley "Shorty" Brown, owner of T&E Oil Co., purchased the station and rebranded it to Fina #18. The second photo shows the station with that signage in 1986, with Washington Heights and Safeway in the background.
In 1998, the Brown family expanded their service station offerings to convenience stores and the "Pantry Plus" nameplates showed up around Hutch. The third photo shows the Pantry Plus at this location in 1998.
In 2003, the Kroger Co. purchased the Pantry Pluses from T&E Oil Co. and converted them to Kwik Shops. The fourth photo shows the 2617 N. Main St. property, still owned by Kwik Shop Inc.
To purchase a photo print, contact: [email protected].
Throwback Thursday is brought to you by:
Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce
STRATACA Kansas Underground Salt Museum