In the rest of the country, the gas station is just another necessary eyesore. But here in LA, like everything else, the gas station is different. First of all, it’s not optional — everyone’s filling up all the time. Second, (besides yoga class and AA meetings), it’s one of the few places we interact– or at least check each other out. Lastly, because we fill up so often, the gas stations are cash machines, occupying premium real estate and, increasingly, becoming architectural statements. Consider this bad boy on Robertson Blvd:
The Helios House is a stainless steel structure that holds 90 solar panels that power the station. Isn’t that great? Fill your Escalade with $90 worth of Taliban juice without the guilt of straining on our power grid. Only in LA.
Equally ridiculous is this non-gas station:
Location, Location, Location
You would think this was on Guam, Hokkaido, or a place with slightly lower ocean front property values than, say… Malibu. Okay, okay, this is actually at the corner of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and PCH, which is officially 100 feet from Malibu, but still. It has been non-operational for at least the past decade. Believe me, I know, I’ve been eyeing it and considering a career as a squatter. I’d even man the mini-mart if it came with a view like that.
Another Landmark LA Gas Station
My personal favorite is this landmark Beverly Hills station on Little Santa Monica:
It’s great, regardless of what inspired it. Maybe it was this:
Or this:
It makes you wonder, though, what we will do if our gas station turns into this?
What Does A Gas Stationless Future Look Like?
Where will we buy a Chic-O-Sticks? Do they sell rolling paper at Target? Will they put eco-friendly bathrooms next to the charger where we can “recycle our waste?” What about cleaning the windshield? Where do we dispose of incriminating evidence —like Botox syringes, McDonald’s wrappers, and Neiman Marcus receipts? I’m just not sure that’s a world I wanna live in.