Mattawa retiree fondly remembers when there were "service" stations

MATTAWA - Jerry Wanaka, a retired resident of Mattawa, had a long and varied management level career in the oil industry, but his favorite work was that of attendant at a service station.

That was back when "service" really meant service. Attendants were trained in the art of service and wanted to be known as the best at delivering service. They pampered cars and drivers.

Wanaka was just out of high school in South Dakota when he moved to Seattle in 1958 as an 18-year-old looking for a future. He had heard the Boeing Aircraft Co. was hiring, and he, along with two buddies, got jobs.

He also met his future wife, Carmen, at an all-city Catholic High School dance. He married in 1960.

Three years later, Wanaka left Boeing for Standard Oil after Boeing wanted to transfer him to another part of the country. He and Carmen had three children. He needed to keep earning and not spend on a big move.

Later in his career, Wanaka worked for Lubking Petroleum and Associated petroleum in good-paying management level positions. He ran the office for Lubking and was credit manager for Associated.

But Wanaka started his career at the retail sales level. He worked on the service island for Standard stations in the Federal Way area, and that was the work he liked best.

"They called it sales because everything we did was designed to create sales," Wanaka said.

Newly hired attendants trained for a week at a training station before going on the job. The training included the cleaning of restrooms. The motoring public depended on them, and they were often the difference in the competition with Shell and other stations.

"There were inspections," Wanaka said. "If the restrooms were dirty, you were in trouble. Women would say our restrooms were always clean."

Attendants worked in pairs. They attended to a car as quickly as it arrived. The No. 1 man poured the gas. He suggested a fill-up but poured only what was ordered. Often were heard the words, "A dollar's worth please," which in 1963 could be five gallons.

The No. 2 man checked the oil, the wipers and the fan belts. These were all products the station carried, but the attendants were under orders never to try to sell what wasn't needed.

"If you were found doing that, you'd get fired," Wanaka said.

The No. 2 man also washed the windshield and all of the windows, unless the driver was in a hurry and asked him not to.

Service station attendants also checked tire pressure. If a tire was unusually low, they suggested a more thorough check. After all, the station had a full selection of tires.

"The gasoline (about 20 cents a gallon then) was just a way to get a car in there," Wanaka said. "They might need something else. We even did minor repairs."

Gasoline is still a way to get drivers to stop, Wanaka said. Mini marts - soft drinks, quick lunches, snacks, beer - are where the money is made today.

"Most of the mini marts make only a few pennies on a gallon of gas," Wanaka said.

Wanaka's favorite station was the Midway Chevron at the location where Interstate 5 connected to U.S. 99 before the interstate was completed. It was busiest during the week and a madhouse on Sundays.

"We took pride in that station," Wanaka said. "We didn't get off the island for five hours on Sunday afternoon. We'd run out sometimes."