The grand opening for the new Downtown Garage Service Station was featured in a large advertisement in the Winston-Salem Journal. Photographs of the 49 service station and garage employees encircled the announcement of the new station, located at 431 North Main Street, beside the Downtown Garage. The ad promised improved service in: U. S. tires, Gulf products, Willard batteries, tire recapping, lubricating, washing, Simonizing, motor tune-up, generator repairing, brake relining, and road service.
Visitors could register for free prizes, which included a 21″ console Philco television, a set of Royal “8” tires, a set of tires recapped, and a man’s wrist watch.
George L. Irvin Jr. was also pictured in the ad as the general manager.
The Downtown Garage was opened in 1926, and it featured a filling station, plus day and night parking, with different rates for working people and residents. In 1926, a businessman could park his car on the lower level of the Downtown Garage, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., for $5.00 per month.
The photograph shows the service station and the Downtown Garage in 1967.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
