ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- On April 30, the Hollin Hall Automotive gas station in Alexandria, Va., celebrated 50 years in operation, reported The Fort Hunt Patch. In honor of the station's community prominence , the state General Assembly passed legislation last month commending Hollin Hall Automotive for its dedication to the community, sponsored by Delegate Scott Surovell and Senator Toddy Puller.
Click hereto view the commendation.
Ruth and Leon Harvey bought the station [image-nocss] in 1961. "Oh, we were in the woods back then. There was nothing here," Ruth Harvey told the newspaper. "My husband died in '66, and I had seven boys--three of them in college at the time. They were allowed to start pumping gas when they were 12 years old. They were glad to get $1 an hour."
Their son, Tom Harvey, now owns and manages the business, but Mrs. Harvey as she is known to her customers is still front and center at the cash register just about every weekday morning, added a report by The Connection.
Over the years, Hollin Hall Automotive has been a Gulf station, a Shell station and a Texaco station, and now it is an independent station. Hollin Hall Automotive continues to provide full-service at self-service prices. For the past few years they have been rebuilding the facility into a state-of-the-art automotive service facility with diagnostic equipment and tools.
Last weekend, people from all over the area came for the 50th anniversary with the Harveys and enjoyed a day of eating, reminiscing and celebrating, said the report.
"We fed over a thousand people and when all checks and monies are in will have raised $10,000 for the Wounded Warriors Project," Tom Harvey told the paper.
As part of the celebration, they sold raffle tickets to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project. The Grand Prize ($1,961 of gasoline) was awarded to Mary (Welch) Colhan; Drew Gruenburg won 30/60/90K major service including all BG flushes; and Marcia Bowker won the 42-inch flat screen HD TV.
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