20 Defunct Gas Station Chains You May Remember
In many locations, gas stations are a necessary component of road trip culture. Over the years, many gas station chains have come and gone, leaving memories of their once-liked service stations. Mergers have caused some to vanish, and new brands or changes in response to the changing energy scene have taken over others.
- Tricia Quitales
- 5 min read
Our communities used to know familiar sights from gas station chains, but over time, many of them disappeared. Some disappeared because of changing fuel needs or economic changes; others were merged into bigger companies. We review in this article the defunct gas station chains you might know, together with a quick background of each and the reasons they are no longer operating today. For many people, these names evoke nostalgia from regional favorites to once national giants.
1. Amoco
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Amoco, short for American Oil Company, was once a major force in the gas station sector. In 2001, it merged with BP, ending the Amoco name. Many people still clearly remember the famous red and yellow signs, even though the brand is fading.
2. Gulf Oil
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Gulf Oil’s unique orange disc logo and support of several racing events were well-known. Standard Oil of California, now Chevron, bought it in the 1980s. Gulf still exists in some places under different ownership even though it is no longer a stand-alone brand.
3. Texaco
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One big chain of gas stations with a distinctive red star logo was Texaco. It teamed with Chevron in 2001, and the Texaco brand finally disappeared. Texaco left a legacy since many of its gas stations now bear the Chevron name.
4. Esso
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Esso is a division of ExxonMobil, one of the most identifiable gas station brands worldwide. In the 1970s, the Exxon brand progressively took the front stage in the United States. Esso is still operating in some areas, especially in Canada and Europe.
5. Standard Oil
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Though its gas station network was finally closed, Standard Oil laid the groundwork for several big oil companies today. Antitrust laws caused the company to fail in 1911, and many of its stations were taken over by others. Though it shut down, the Standard Oil name significantly influenced the energy sector.
6. Sinclair
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Sinclair was well-known for its quality petrol and green dinosaur logo. Sinclair stations vanished in the 1970s following their sale off-site or absorption by another business. Selected markets still carry the Sinclair name today, mainly concerning oil distribution.
7. Citgo
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Though still in use in some areas, Citgo’s prominence has dropped over time. Once connected with the Venezuelan-owned company PDVSA, political and economic changes resulted in a downturn for the brand. Although the stations still exist, their frequency has dropped from past times.
8. Union 76
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Originally a large chain of gas stations, Union 76 was well-known for its brilliant orange ball logo. In the 2000s, ConocoPhillips bought the company, and the Union 76 brand gradually disappeared. Nowadays, Conoco and Phillips 66 networks include several of their former sites.
9. Mobil
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Mobil was a well-known name with its red Pegasus logo and worldwide reach. It merged with Exxon in 1999, and ExxonMobil now carries the Mobil trademark. Though some Mobil-branded stations still run, the name is less common now.
10. Tenneco
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Tenneco was a sizable oil company with a gas station network all over the country. Tenneco sold off its gas station properties in the 1980s, and the brand vanished. Today, it focuses on manufacturing automotive parts instead of running gas stations.
11. Conoco
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With its red and yellow logo, Conoco was once a familiar name in American gasoline. In 2002, it teamed up with Phillips Petroleum to create ConocoPhillips, and the brand name was phased out. Today, many stations run under the Phillips 66 flag.
12. SuperAmerica
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SuperAmerica was a well-known regional chain in the Midwest, particularly in Minnesota. The early 2000s saw it acquired by the chain of convenience stores Speedway, and the SuperAmerica name vanished. Most former SuperAmerica sites these days have become Speedway stations.
13. Arco
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ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) was well-known in the Western United States for its reasonably cheap gasoline. It was taken over by BP in 2000, and the ARCO brand basically vanished. Although some ARCO stations remain in place, BP now runs them.
14. Atlantic Oil
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Atlantic Oil was a major East Coast oil company once known for its many gas stations. In 1961, it merged with Richfield Oil to create ARCO. Though the Atlantic brand gradually vanished, ARCO’s history still bears evidence of it.
15. Marathon
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Though less common than it once was, Marathon was a major participant in the American gasoline market. After its 1930s merger with the Ohio Oil Company, other brands progressively replaced its stations. Marathon stations still exist, albeit their name is far less obvious.
16. Red Apple
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Mainly known in the Northeast U.S., Red Apple was a regional chain with a devoted following. However, the business finally closed its doors and was unable to compete with bigger, national names. The Red Apple name is mainly forgotten nowadays since former stores run under different brands.
17. White Rose
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White Rose was a well-known chain of gas stations in New York and nearby regions. In the 1970s, the Getty Oil Company acquired it. The White Rose name rapidly disappeared; most stations were rebranded under Getty and other companies.
18. Phillips Petroleum
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One of the big oil companies operating under the Phillips 66 brand was Phillips Petroleum, running petrol stations. It combined with Conoco in 2002, and Phillips Petroleum progressively disappeared from the market. The name Phillips 66 still stands, but the original Phillips Petroleum brand is no longer used.
19. Getty Oil
John Margolies on Wikimedia
Getty Oil used to be a powerhouse in the petrol station sector, particularly on the East Coast. Texaco bought it in the 1980s; the Getty name vanished. Though the stations have long gone, some areas of the United States still feel the legacy of Getty Oil.
20. Shamrock Oil
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Shamrock Oil had a minor but distinctive presence in the Southern United States. Texaco finally absorbed it in the 1980s, and the Shamrock name disappeared. Many people still find the Shamrock logo appealing and simple even though it vanished.