1474 Genesee Street - Genesee & Fougeron. Fougeron veers off to the right from Genesee. It was a Texaco and I know the owner's name was Ray. I lived on Fougeron Street. Our house was right across the street and at night during the summer we'd stay out and watch the traffic on Genesee. Directly across the drive was St. Louis Avenue. Back in the 50's and early/mid 60's it was a booming area. Ray had a Pepsi machine in between the far bay and the windows. $.10 for a 12oz bottle of Teem (lemon-lime Pepsi product 1000 times better than Sierra Mist). They tore down most of the houses on Fougeron to build School 91 (Genesee Humboldt Junior High), right next door to my house. Ray's Texaco was just across the street from the school. Ruth's Hobby shop was just behind the station. There was a real busy restaurant right across the street at the corner of Genesee & St. Louis Ave. Back in it's heyday Ray's Texaco always had at least 3 employees and they'd fill you up, check the oil and wipe the windows. They all had the nice Texaco uniforms. I wish you could have seen it then, with a bunch of us neighborhood kids always buying a cold Pepsi or Teem, the ringing bells as cars ran over the wire rope, garage doors open with always a car or two getting an oil change or repair. Very busy area with a few banks, a few clothing stores, Norban's, and a Woolworth's, all within a 5 minute walk of the station. Loblaws was just a half block behind the station and all the school kids took their report cards to get Crystal Beach tickets at the end of the school year. Thanks so much for bringing back all the memories.
