Looking for photos and automobilia from a unique gas station in the Michigan area. Called Town Talk, and they had their own stations back in the 50's and early 60's. Might not be the right place to post this, but I know you all have tons of archives and knowledge, thought you all might be able to help my search.
I havent heard of them. Not trying to steal your thread but has anyone heard of Ritters?? I been finding a few porcelain Ritters Gasoline signs in my area.
I remember Town Talk stations - they were sorta cut-rate gas and oil only places as I recall. Gone by the 70's I think but I could be off on that. Charlie
Agreed;those cats know their obscure stuff. What part of Michigan were they focused on? I've never heard of them in the Flint area(Cavalier and Best were our cut-rate brands back then),nor anywhere in Central MI.
I grew up in Milwood Mi south of Kalamazoo, right where Portage Rd and Lovers Lane split there was a Town Talk station. There was at least one other but I'm not sure where, in Kazoo. This was in the 40's and well into the 50's.
Yeah. Town Talk was based in Grand Rapids Mi.I believe it was owned by Barnes oil co.They had 2 or 3 stations in and around GR.I remember the station on the corner of Clyde Park and 28th ST in the city of Wyoming(a suburb of GR.The pumps were yellow and black. Later on they were bought out I think by Marathon but not sure. The name was changed to Town Pump. That station was owned by a classmates dad.I had forgotten about that. A friend reminded me. If anyone has any info especially pics. please let me know I any going to contact my class mate and see if she has any old pics etc. I recently "scored" a 1947 Tokheim model 39 gas pump and would like to restore it to a local company.like TT or maybe White rose.Joe Rockford Mi.
I did find a ice scraper on ebay.Has the Town Talk lettering.I'll see if I can figure out how to post the picture.There also was an old 5(?) gal. can I will be glad to post anything I can find Joe
Yes Town Talk was out of Grand Rapids Mi. ice scrapers and 5 gallon fuel oil cans are commom see plenty, however 1 qt cans,antifreeze cans,oil bottles and other items are not common one of the brands I collect so always looking.
My Dad alway got gas at the Town Talk at Clyde Park and 28 th St. by Rogers Plaza in the early 60's, I can still remember the attendant coming out with his uniform and hat putting gas in, checking oil and tires, hmm what happened to that service and it was only about a quarter (.25) a gallon.
I remember Town Talk but don't remember where in the Lansing area they might have been. There was a station out on US 16 (Grand River) between Webberville and Fowlerville on the north side of the road. That might have been the Town Talk I'm thinking of. I would have been pretty little. We had a station near where the Lansing Mall is now called Hudson. Same kind of deal. Discount gas and oil only.
My father used to work at Town Talk gas station. The one I remember was in Kalamazoo across from Shorty's Tavern and down the street from Coral Gables.
I grew up in Grandville out to the west of Grand Rapids. My Dad worked at the Town Talk station on S. Division in Grand Rapids. Had to wear a uniform for work--a white shirt with company patches and black wool pants. There was a station out in Grandville on M-21 east of the city center. My mom shopped there as they had the cheapest gas. They gave kids caramel sticks like tootsie rolls and later switched to tootsie rolls. We alway got bulk oil put in the car--it was a quart jar (reuseable) with a pour spout jar top. I have fond memories of Town Talk--the men who worked there were almost always pleasant to my mom and us kids. Down the road and west of the town center, there was an Old Dutch station. We never shopped there, tho, and it was gone, I believe, by the mid 60's.
Great info guys. any pictures of the gas pumps, globes, signage? I found a 5 gallon, ice scraper, a couple glass quart oil bottles. No pictures of any of the stations though.
My grandfather was Arthur Barnes who owned Barnes Oil Co. I have been looking for Town Talk items for a while now, and have not been able to find any. I would be interested in any pictures you may have or items you may be willing to sell.
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