That Old Esso Station, The Neglected Brother

In a quick few days of gutting and stripping down to the bones, the old Esso station has become available for lease.

This antiquated structure—more recently Tao Auto—has sat through years of reticent anticipation.

The building has been somewhat of a Hillsborough Street landmark—residing along with its retro brothers CharGrill and Snoopy’s. Now a grizzly shell, the possibilities have opened for the re-birth of this neglected brother.

It’s hard to say how long this building and property will really last, considering that the same Charlotte development company owns this property as well as the property adjacent to it on Boylan Ave.

So although it may not be a long-term endeavor, here lies a prime opportunity to breath life onto this corner of Hillsborough and Boylan. When I consider a possibly for this building I immediately recall the Pontiac Cafe in the crotch area of Chicago’s Wicker Park. The once filling station, then sandwich stand, and now restaurant/bar/music venue retains much of the candor of its original use, and isn’t shy about it.

So, what will happen with this building?... Restaurant and bar? Slow-food breakfast joint? Performance slash gallery space? Neighborhood food co-op and garden? Petting zoo and kombucha hammock lounge? Any of those would be fine with me.

If indeed this building is to be manipulated to serve a new purpose, let it be genuine and truthful. Instead of casting the structure aside as a burdensome relic, extend it into a new and interesting direction. There can be a dignified mark of honesty in creative adaptation and reuse.

Any other ideas for this neglected brother?

Click to Zoom

Joe06/02 09:09 AM

The Esso station in Clemson, SC was turned into a bar a long, long time ago. It’s long been a landmark in the small college town and is know as one of the best sports bars in the country.

http://theessoclub.com/Home.htm

abbyladybug06/02 10:44 AM

Glad I took this when I did:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/2523130721

These old pictures are great.

kg06/02 11:16 AM

i’m sure there would probably be environmental issues/questions surrounding it with it’s history but i couldn’t agree anymore… lots of opportunity here. i hope someone does the right thing.

Andy O06/02 11:55 AM

A bookstore. We need a bookstore.

VaNC06/02 12:13 PM

How about a diner? This area cries out for a good old fashioned reliable diner….a place to get some good, simple food all day, and late at night. We do not need a new “upscale” place….we need a place to eat the rest of the time.

And I think this building is way too small for an independant bookstore that could make it financially, especially this close to Quail Ridge Books.

Cydney06/02 12:33 PM

I love the limitless possibilities of the empty shell! The fact that it is so accessible, I think it could be successful as almost anything. Bookstore, deli/sandwich shop… I need more walkable lunch options than hotdogs and fries, so I’d be very much in favor of that. I can agree that it might be too small to be a bookstore, but not that it is too close to Quail Ridge (that walking thing and all). Like Chad said, anything would be fine with me.

RaleighRob06/02 12:47 PM

I like the diner idea. Anyone got connections with the owners of Elmo’s? :-D

Rusty06/02 02:40 PM

An Elmo’s Diner for Raleigh would be magnificent… A welcome addition to the block.

joshua06/02 09:18 PM

an elmo’s would be awesome! would be cool to have outside seating in the parking lot.

joshua06/02 09:21 PM

for all the design nerds out there…did anyone notice the layers on this building?! before they started work, it had Castrol motor oil branding on it. hence the green doors. come to find that underneath was the old Esso stuff. i hope they leave it!

Vince06/02 10:40 PM

Well, there’s already two (used) bookstores on Hillsborough Street, along with QRB just up and over a couple blocks. I like the diner idea.
I like bar idea. Could a bar (the candidate most likely to have high traffic) possibly change the value of that area to the degree that places like Chargrill may suffer from a potential rent increase (unless they own it?) Silly question. Maybe the space could be a tiny club. The number of options seems high. Let’s just hope something good happens.

senorak06/03 12:05 AM

Amen! I’ve been saying for months that we need an Elmo’s type restaurant. Somewhere where kids have more to choose from than chicken tenders and french fries, and adults can order something a little inventive AND a beer. Right now, the only places to go with your kids are all chains. Are the Frazier’s / Porter’s owners ready to branch out into the lower end of the cuisine spectrum? If not this location, another good spot would be the new Red, Hot & Blue in 6 months or less when it goes belly-up.

DPK06/03 02:26 AM

Way to be negative there senorak. RH&B;is actually doing pretty well from what I’ve seen. Every time I drive by they are pretty packed around lunch/dinner.

Richardfoc06/03 03:07 AM

Does anybody remember the diner that used to be on the other corner of that block…at Hillsborough and Glenwood where apparently One Glenwood is going to stand? It’s been so long ago I can’t even remember if it was any good but I know I used to go there to soothe my hangover after a late night at Bourbon Street.

Tony Spencer06/03 01:50 PM

Elmos. What a great idea. Its one of the few things I miss from living in Chapel Hill.

Mmmmm. Brocolli casserole

Leo06/03 04:02 PM

In my opinion, another food spot would work well here. I’d put my money on that actually happening.

A cool use for this space would be a modified bike/skate shop. A place that sells anything that gets you around that is not a car; bicycles, skateboards, scooters, segways, etc. retro and cutting edge modern. The main focus would be on moving around in urban areas (DTR). Perhaps rent bikes or go-karts for people to ride around in. Some parking spaces could be used for customers and the rest of the concrete could be used for people to test out the stuff. Perhaps build a small skate/bike park for people to hang out during the day. Of course, they can repair and work on anything you’ve got.

Just a thought.

Jim06/03 06:16 PM

How about a bakery? Can this town PLEASE get a bakery, some day? Or a deli.

Betsy06/03 06:54 PM

Oh, yes, a patisserie/bakery doubled up with an excellent sandwich shop.

This is obviously a good area for quickie lunch spots (Chargrill, Burger Hut, Snoopy’s)—maybe diversify the mix with a quickie lunch spot that serves less greasy fare.

Surround it with an outdoor dining garden in the former parking lot.

Kim Weiss, blueplate pr06/03 09:55 PM

To Richardfoc: Yes! I remember “The Blue Tower” in the building that now houses a chiropractor. They served classic “blue plate specials.” I was working at Spectator magazine then—we’d just launched the mag. in ‘78. Our offices were on the corner of Boylan and Hillsborough. And the staff used to walk over to the Blue Tower several times a week for its delicous down-home foods. I remember the owner/cook walking down the street in his white apron to “Xerox” (no personal printers then!) his daily menus in our building. That sort of eatery would be fantastic for the old Esso building—which I’m watching daily from the balcony of my condo right across the street!

Jedidiah06/04 07:25 PM

Why more food? Why doesn’t anyone want retail in Downtown Raleigh? Andy O had the idea, bookstore or….uh hum…American Apparel? Portland’s AA is about the same size as this space.

Cydney06/11 10:27 AM

Jed made a good point… and AA sells socks! And underwear! No longer bound to Target at North Hills!

Ashton06/12 03:50 PM

I’ve heard that New City Design is handling the upfit, and that it will be a rental space.

Ashton06/12 04:48 PM

And another update:

http://www.yorkproperties.com/commercial-real-estate/details.asp?id=941

ford08/06 12:51 AM

why adobe? Mexican art deco? It doesn’t fit the surrounding buildings, and this renovation destroys the beauty of the original structure. York properties dissappoints again, although I may still be bitter about the dissappearance of figs

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Chad Monday, June 02, 2008