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He Sells Gas Station Memories
If you want to add colorful nostalgia to your shop or garage, Brian Steiner has the goods for you. Remember Esso, Polly, Oilzum or Husky? Those are gas and oil companies from the 1930's to the 1950's. Steiner recreates their old signs, printing with durable enamel paint on 18-gauge metal.
  "I like doing gas station pieces because people's memories are tied into them. They either know someone that worked at or owned a gas station," says Steiner, who worked in gas stations and racetracks and raced at the Golden Gate Speedway in Florida.
  He started making reproduction signs about 13 years ago, after he paid a lot of money for what he thought was an original sign but turned out to be a porcelain reproduction.
  "I decided that since I knew how to screen print I could make my own," Steiner says. "I enjoy collecting, but I couldn't afford signs that run $400 to $500."
  Steiner's signs start at $49, including shipping. For custom orders he prints signs and leaves off the brand name so customers can have a local printer put in something else.
  "A lot of people put in their own number or name on the race cars," Steiner says. "The Esso tractor can be changed with someone's name, too."
  In addition to signs, Steiner's sells reproduction oil cans and racks, clocks and gas pumps.
  "People really love those pumps," he notes, explaining he sells many to auto, truck and tractor collectors. He has a clock face 1929 pump ($1,479) and a 1950's pump ($1,389), which is his most popular. He makes the 6-ft. 6-in. pumps in all colors and brands.
  Steiner sells all his reproductions through his Fill-er-Up online store.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brian Steiner, Fill-er-Up, 2613 Route 340, P.O. Box 406, Bird-In-Hand, Penn. 17505 (ph 717 397-2519; www.fill-er-up.com).


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2011 - Volume #35, Issue #2