Write a commentFriday, March 21st marked the end of an era in Oswego. It was the final day in business for Crouse Tires and Gasoline on East Bridge Street in Oswego after being open for fifty-four years.
For many years, the business was affiliated with oil giant ExxonMobil, but has been independent for the past twenty two years, owner Doug Crouse said.
Crouse from Scriba has been a "car guy" since he was a a youngster in the 1950's and 60's. "After I got back from Vietnam, I got into the service station business," he said. "I owned five stations for a time, but we eventually settled in this one location at 89 East Bridge Street."
He and a cast of colorful characters have been pumping gasoline, changing tires and oil, and performing mechanical work in the same building since 1971. Lately, it's been Doug's son Jack Crouse and longtime friend Davey Syrell running the station, with occasional "guest mechanics" on Tuesdays. Son Larry Crouse has also been home from California, "... to assist with packing up the 50-plus years of accumulated stuff."
"I've been looking to retire for a couple of years," Doug said. "It's been a good run, but I'm ready to let it go."
With Crouse's gone, that will mark the closing of the final full service gasoline and service station in the city of Oswego. Once a mainstay of the city's business community with more than twenty garages in operation, these establishments have all but disappeared over the past two decades.
Now they're extinct, replaced by one-stop convenience stores. A new store of this type will take the place of the service station in the near future.
A longtime supporter of the Oswego youth and adult athletic community, Doug said, "I'll probably spend more time tending to my vineyard...might even do a bit of traveling." Doug said, "My son Jack has talked of opening a tire and service garage in the future, but he won't sell gasoline."
It's sad to see any locally-owned business close, but Doug Crouse is going out on his own terms. His presence here will be missed. All of us at iHeart Oswego wish you well on your retirement.
