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Monday, October 15, 2012

1956: BODNAR'S SERVICE STATION

Here's a really nice photo of Bodnar's Service Station back in the 40's when a gallon of gas could be had for a bit more than a dollar a gallon. I will need an old timer familiar with this establishment to tell me if this was the place at the intersection which is today an open parking lot, or the site of the used car dealer who currently occupies the southeast corner.
RALPH LUCARELLA said...
HI TOM....MY SISTER LAW WAS MARRIED TO JOE BODNAR IN THE 40'S AND SHORTLY AFTER JOE PASSED AWAY. I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY IS NOW USED AS A CAR LOT. BODNARS WAS VERY ACTIVE AS A SERVICE STATION AND AN OUTLET FOR RETREAD TIRES IN CHAMBERSBURG. REGARDS.
Tom Glover said...
THANKS RALPH. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE AN OLD TIMER WHO KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND THE BURG. MANY THANKS. GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN..

TOM GLOVER
Anonymous said...
Steve Bodnar was a friend of mine for many, many years. While he operated this station, I owned the property diagnolly across the St. which once housed a apartment building that burned down to the ground. This was across the ally from the "Alexander Marval Slaughterhouse which I owned at the same time. On the other corners was the "Treasure Chest" bar/go go joint. and the fourth corner had a store front on it that back into the J.A. Roebling storage yard. A infamous piece of history is associated with the car lot that operated on this site after Steve Bodnar's passing.
It was at this car lot that John Muhammed Malvo purchased the former police Car which he outfitted to kill, and maime those poor people as the "DC Sniper"

He was convicted in Chesapeake VA, and executed a few years ago.

Mike Kuzma
SJBill said...
Mike, Sir,

During this era the bar was Gliba's, way before it became the Treasure Chest. The place was one of the neighborhood bars frequented by Roebling workers. Gliba's was frequented by Hungarians.

The three brothers that ran the gas station were Frankie, Johnnie and Joe Bodnar. Margie Bodnar, married to Joe, were dear friends, and they lived up the block from us, maybe next to Joe Kovach's Mercer Confectionary (until 1956, we lived at 809 S. Clinton, and moved to 811 in 1957).

Now back to the gas station. This image was taken just after Bodnar's built the three car bay and before the new gas pumps that allowed cars to be filled on both sides of the island at the same time.

The first two bays had hydraulic lifts where Johnie and Frankie did mechanic work, wheel alignment and brake work. I learned how to hone corroded brake drums on my 57 Chevy from Frankie in the second bay.

The third bay housed a car wash machine, that was 90% manual. Willie, and African American gentleman, ran that bay. He used the machine to wash cars, and he moved them outside to give them an incredible Simonize job. Us kids were always welcome at teh station, where were underfoot in most other places.

I truly miss all involved. They were all gentlemen.
Anonymous said...
Yes, Bill I remember Gliba's as I walked past it on the way to visit Female classmates from Jr.4 in the Burg.I like most oldsters mispoke and said Steve, when I met Frankie Bodnar, with that slicked back blond hair, and always neatly dressed be it on the dance floor or in the garage.

Regards

Mike Kuzma
JoeB said...
Tom:
Before Bodnar's that station was owned and operated by a Frank Chiacchio who was the brother of Chico's Harley Davidson Dealer on S. Broad St. across from the hobby shop.

Anonymous

6 comments:

  1. HI TOM....MY SISTER LAW WAS MARRIED TO JOE BODNAR IN THE 40'S AND SHORTLY AFTER JOE PASSED AWAY. I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY IS NOW USED AS A CAR LOT. BODNARS WAS VERY ACTIVE AS A SERVICE STATION AND AN OUTLET FOR RETREAD TIRES IN CHAMBERSBURG. REGARDS.

    ReplyDelete
  2. THANKS RALPH. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE AN OLD TIMER WHO KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND THE BURG. MANY THANKS. GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN..

    TOM GLOVER

    ReplyDelete
  3. Steve Bodnar was a friend of mine for many, many years. While he operated this station, I owned the property diagnolly across the St. which once housed a apartment building that burned down to the ground. This was across the ally from the "Alexander Marval Slaughterhouse which I owned at the same time. On the other corners was the "Treasure Chest" bar/go go joint. and the fourth corner had a store front on it that back into the J.A. Roebling storage yard. A infamous piece of history is associated with the car lot that operated on this site after Steve Bodnar's passing.
    It was at this car lot that John Muhammed Malvo purchased the former police Car which he outfitted to kill, and maime those poor people as the "DC Sniper"

    He was convicted in Chesapeake VA, and executed a few years ago.

    Mike Kuzma

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike, Sir,

    During this era the bar was Gliba's, way before it became the Treasure Chest. The place was one of the neighborhood bars frequented by Roebling workers. Gliba's was frequented by Hungarians.

    The three brothers that ran the gas station were Frankie, Johnnie and Joe Bodnar. Margie Bodnar, married to Joe, were dear friends, and they lived up the block from us, maybe next to Joe Kovach's Mercer Confectionary (until 1956, we lived at 809 S. Clinton, and moved to 811 in 1957).

    Now back to the gas station. This image was taken just after Bodnar's built the three car bay and before the new gas pumps that allowed cars to be filled on both sides of the island at the same time.

    The first two bays had hydraulic lifts where Johnie and Frankie did mechanic work, wheel alignment and brake work. I learned how to hone corroded brake drums on my 57 Chevy from Frankie in the second bay.

    The third bay housed a car wash machine, that was 90% manual. Willie, and African American gentleman, ran that bay. He used the machine to wash cars, and he moved them outside to give them an incredible Simonize job. Us kids were always welcome at teh station, where were underfoot in most other places.

    I truly miss all involved. They were all gentlemen.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, Bill I remember Gliba's as I walked past it on the way to visit Female classmates from Jr.4 in the Burg.I like most oldsters mispoke and said Steve, when I met Frankie Bodnar, with that slicked back blond hair, and always neatly dressed be it on the dance floor or in the garage.

    Regards

    Mike Kuzma

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tom:
    Before Bodnar's that station was owned and operated by a Frank Chiacchio who was the brother of Chico's Harley Davidson Dealer on S. Broad St. across from the hobby shop.

    ReplyDelete