Abandoned Gas Food Save Mart, Lakewood, CO

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm... Love that Gas Food...


Comedian Jim Samuels had a hilarious routine: Jim's Guide to Road Signs, where he pointed out the unintentionally bad mixed messages in highway road signs. Specifically, ones that announce what is coming up at the next exit. Any time I see a sign with with words "Gas" and "Food" on it, his stand-up routine pops into my head...

Sadly, there isn't a recording of it that I could link here, so you could hear it.

Even more sadly, Jim Samuels died of Spinal Meningitis in July, 1990, at the age of 41.

(I just learned that today...)


The former Gas Food Save Mart (If you say those four words like a Neanderthal, it's a lot funnier... Okay... Maybe it's just me...), located at 898 Kipling Street, in Lakewood, Colorado, was the most recent Gas Food to bring Samuels' comedy bit to mind...

I woke up early this morning to get some additional Denver metro photos. It was predicted to be a cloudy day, and those are great for pictures. So I was looking to improve on some shots of previous photos ruined by sun-glare.

The same mission had been started yesterday morning, with similar weather conditions. However rain and fog made road pictures difficult...


Then I dropped my phone and broke the screen... 

I was so distraught that I cut the photo tour short, drove home and...


Watched Pee-Wee Herman DVD's!

After replacing my nearly 3 year old -now- broken phone with a newer and much nicer model, I laid low and regrouped for the night...


Oliver was kind enough to volunteer to be the subject of the first photo on my new phone! 

After an abbreviated night's sleep, I woke up at 5am and hit the road...


And of course it would be even foggier and rainier than yesterday... Oh well...

So I did a bunch of driving around, getting mostly disappointing pictures, and was losing interest in the whole morning. Thoughts of going home and attempting some catch-up writing in the notebook were getting stronger as I drove north on Kipling Street in Lakewood.

Something caught my eye on the right side of the street, a very nice looking abandoned gas station!

I didn't get a shot of it since right side photos are tough to get while driving, and this one took me by surprise.

I almost didn't go back...


But if I didn't whip a U-turn, I'd regret missing this one for sure...


I parked on the far northeast corner, by these awesome gas station lights.


The rain had stopped by the time I got up here, but everything was still wet and dreary. The sky was that great greyish shade of white. I love days like today for pictures, and being surprised with an awesome subject make them even better!

I hadn't yet figured out how long this place had been sitting vacant, but with the pumps fairly intact, and the underground tank not having been removed, I didn't figure this place had been closed for all that long. Once a station closes, they try to get the tanks removed quickly so there's no chance of accidental rupture.


Unfortunately, the place was sealed up pretty good. The only surface allowing a peek inside, that wasn't covered with plywood, was the front door. Featuring glass that had already been shattered by either kicks or rocks...


Strangely, the pumps were left fairly undestroyed. Usually they are a fun target for vandals. These pumps look rather old, but somewhat intact.


If I had to guess, I'd say these pumps are mid to late 1990's in vintage...


They give off a very Phillips-66sy vibe, but that building is definitely not a corporate Phillips model...


A friend of mine told me that this station has been closed for a while, but when it was open, they used to sell burritos. This part of the station does give off the appearance of selling food out of the now boarded up windows.

I stupidly did not get a close up of that Boss Revolution sign hanging up by the roof...


Looking through the overgrown brush, and over a rust-colored picket fence, at the south side of the abandoned gas station. All windows on this side were bricked up.


Around the tree, looking back at the fence. This side of the building had doors that had recently been sealed by plywood. This appeared to be the entrance to the burrito selling side.


Leaving the jungle and coming back out to look at the Gas, then the rest of the Food Save Mart...


Watch out for this ankle breaking trap along the way...

Now what if a customer fell into that?


Well said, city of Lakewood! This place is completely unsafe!

Something should be done about this!

There are children present!

All right... Enough of the outside... 

How gross is the inside?


Yup...


Uh-huh...


Yikes...

Maid's week off?

Let's go look at the pumps again!


Some fresh romaine lettuce is wildly growing under pump 3! 

While it may have contamination problems, e-coli probably ranks lower on the list of carcinogens it's been fertilized by...


The last state inspection sticker is from March 2009. So, to my surprise, this place has to have been closed for close to 9 years now. Doesn't really look like it from the street...


These "Breathe Easy" stickers have always amused me...

Oh wait... TEXACO!!!

Now there's a gas station flavor I'd completely forgotten about!


The windshield washer fluid and paper towel dispensers are definitely Phillips models...


Goodbye Gas Food Save Mart... 

Finding you today was a ray of sunshine, burning through the fog,
and brightening the rest of my journey...

Putting a little bounce in my step...

Joy in my heart...


But not enough to stop and help those in need...


I drove back to Denver, via Colfax Avenue, where there's always good photos to be taken. Like that sweet "Cars" sign above the Norfolk Motors sign. I've never seen that before...

But I need to get home to watch the Twins play the Angels in Anaheim, on the MLB.tv on the TV (thanks to Laura!)


*This guy...

vs


This guy...

equals...

The first must-see game of 2018!


Have fun and safe refueling!

And now I want a burrito...


(*Disclaimer: The inclusion of Shohei Ohtani is solely to increase page hits... Duh...)

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