Businesses come and go. Memories last a lifetime.

The corner lot at 34 Hope Street East has seen its share of commercial operations. Recently we said goodbye to Text and Tales and now look forward to welcoming the owners of a new pub on the site. For many Tavistock people of “a certain vintage” this location will always be Johnny Gascho’s Service Station.

In the late 1940s Clarence “Mike” Steinman (Mary Ann Klein’s dad) had the foresight to build a Supertest station on what was then an unused piece of land bordered by Hope and Minerva Streets. He called his business Mike’s Service and later Mike’s Tire & Battery. With two gas pumps (one high test and one low) plus a full line of tires and tire repairs, a complete line of accessories and a selection of cigarettes and tobacco, soft drinks and chocolate bars Mike’s place was soon a success. When ill health necessitated a move to Florida, Mike advertised for a buyer and the John Gascho era was born.

For 21 years, from 1955 to 1976, John’s Service Station, more popularly known as Johnny’s Supertest, was a go-to spot for young and old alike.

Johnny’s Supertest was open 6 days a week from 8 am to 10 pm with just Monday and Wednesday evenings off. Like all businesses in Tavistock at the time, the service station was closed on Sunday. Occasionally a customer would unexpectedly find a “back soon” sign on the door. John was a volunteer firefighter and was away battling a blaze. All other times he was at the shop, often dressed in a Supertest shirt and dark pants and occasionally sporting a Supertest hat. John was a well-liked and well-respected man who always had time for people. In his Christmas ad in the Tavistock Gazette he always welcomed newcomers to town.

Kids who frequented Johnny’s used their paper route money or allowance or collected bottles to cash in to buy a 5-cent chocolate bar or a very long very red licorice for a nickel. Teenagers favoured the wet cooler, taking a bottle of Double Cola or Orange Crush for 10 cents plus a 2-cent deposit. Potato chips … small size for a nickel, large size for a dime and an absolutely gigantic bag for a quarter … came in the then popular onion and garlic flavour and sometimes had collectible coins. Every kid with a bicycle knew that Johnny charged 5 cents for the tire patch and glue to fix your flat. It’s only now we realize that not one cent was charged for his time and expertise.

Cigarettes were definitely popular back in the day. Even though it was an excellent revenue producer, cigarette sales at the shop stopped when John’s father died of lung cancer.

Yes, of course, there was gas and oil and tires. Lots of tires — Goodyear, Firestone and Uniroyal. Son Wayne Gascho recalls the days when a gas fill up totalling $10 was a rare and truly memorable event. It was also the days when tires were regularly repaired and John was an expert with repairs. The men (it was almost always men) needing repairs at 50 cents a patch or wanting to have their snow tires changed would gather in the shop, by the wood stove in season, to talk about local events while Johnny went to work.

Even though no one will admit to it, there were times when tires mysteriously moved from the big pile at the back of the shop to other places around town, often the five corners at Hallowe’en. It was an era of innocent hijinks and simple pleasures. When Bill and Gloria Wettlaufer were engaged Gloria’s dad, Mahlon Leis, bought a round of ice cream for everyone at Johnny’s service station to celebrate the good news.

Big changes came in 1976. Hope Street was widened, causing problems with accessibility to the BP (Supertest) station. John sold the land and building and took his expertise up the street to work at the five corners. The building at 34 Hope Street East was converted to become The Sub Dock. Other businesses followed.

After all the years and all the changes at this location good memories of Johnny’s Supertest live on. We hope the new pub generates good memories for a new generation.