Petro Stop Sign - For Sale to Highest Bidder

Photo by John Hoff

Photo and blog post by Nomi Passenger

Well, I think this might be the first ever Johnny Northside Auction. Almost a year ago the old Petro Stop gas station was torn down, click here. Both sides of the retro petro sign were salvaged, although at different times, one by chance, one on purpose.

The story goes something like this. One night John and I were out and about and as we passed the Petro Stop site, which was being prepped for demolition, we noticed that one side of the sign had fallen off the high metal pole and was laying on the ground, in the snow. So we stopped, picked it up and immediately realized this was a large piece of plastic that was NOT going to fit anywhere in my compact sedan. Not in the trunk, not in the back seat. It just wasn't going in my car at all. So how were we going to get it home, about 10 blocks away? Well, we got creative, let's just put it that way.

So a few days or a week later, during the day, we happened to drive by the site again and it was actively being demolished. The bulldozers were going, a scrapping crew was nearby to begin their work. John got some video footage of the demo and he approached the bulldozer driver. "Hey what are you going to do with that sign?" The bulldozer driver was just planning to tear it down when the tall metal pole came down. So John asked if he could have it. (It's plastic, so the contracted scrappers didn't want it)

The bulldozer driver turns his machine and heads that way. He lifts the big claw up high, and like a flick of the wrist, down comes the other half, the second Petro Stop sign. This time, we bartered with the scrappers to put it in their pick up truck and haul it home for us.

And there it sits in my garage, almost a year later. Through the tornado and through the rebuild. But now winter is coming and it must find a new home.

So here it is offered up for sale to the highest bidder. Here's how this will work. For one week, today through Saturday, December 3rd, I'll take email bids from interested parties. Shoot me an email at goodponyz at yahoo and let me know what you are willing to pay for the sign. I'll contact the highest bidder and arrange the sale.

The sign is large, about six feet by six feet. In the bottom left corner there is a small chip that doesn't quite affect the surface of the sign, but affects the sides of it, see picture, you'll know what I mean.

Other conditions of the sale: only one sign is for sale, cash only, you pick up, I reserve the right to change my mind or refuse sale for any reason,  in other words, "to good home only".

Good Luck!

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