Fuel offers high-octane nostalgia with lunchBy Robert Behre (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, June 23, 2008
 Anyone nostalgic for the days when gas cost 36.9 cents a gallon can step inside one of Charleston's newest restaurants for a flashback. That's the price on the sign hanging from the ceiling inside Fuel, a restaurant occupying a 1950s-era building first built as an Esso service station. The restaurant's owners, Trevor Whitmire and Justin Broome, are a pair of childhood friends from Walhalla who had been searching for a suitable restaurant site. Photo GalleryFuel Restaurant Fuel, a new restaurant at Rutledge Avenue and Cannon Street, occupies a building originally built about 50 years ago as an Esso Station. These images show what has changed and what has not.
Broome, 23, found the vacant building at Rutledge Avenue and Cannon Street and was struck by its rough charm. "Being an old gas station, the look and feel just brought up those great memories," Whitmire says. They signed a lease and began getting the city's blessing to convert it into a restaurant, with help from Architect Dan Sweeney of Stumphouse Architecture + Design. They weren't interested in changing it much. The building began life as an Esso station and changed its name to Exxon before closing around 1991. It was used as a cab stand and largely was abandoned before a small seafood shop opened and closed there recently. The station's original garage bays along Rutledge had been boarded up with plywood, but that was removed and replaced with new roll-up doors with glass windows. The Cannon side, where the station's restrooms were, proved trickier. They wanted to keep the restrooms in place, but the doors led to the outdoors. Moving the doors to the restaurant's interior would have forced the removal of several tables from the relatively small corridor between Fuel's front and back doors. That's when they found an old photograph of a similar Esso station that had built a cement and glass block wall to add shelter to the area outside its restrooms. They essentially copied that and got the city's Board of Architectural Review to sign off. Broome and Whitmire also bought gas memorabilia, such as the pumps that decorate their courtyard and the old nozzles that were converted to sconces. They also remounted a sign found on site that shows where the keys to the clean restrooms are. "Everything we could keep, we did keep and try to use it here and there," Broome says. Not only did these recent graduates help shape the design, but they also did much of the construction work, except for the technical electrical, plumbing and HVAC stuff. "In the restrooms, the roof had caved in and tar poured all over the tile," Whitmire says. "It took us three weeks to clean it and bring it back." The work also included removing some sections of wall in the section closest to Cannon Street to open up the dining space, while some new wall partitions were added in the back to close and separate the kitchen space. Whitmire says the building set the theme for the restaurant, and because so much of its seating would be outside under a sheltered patio, they also added a sort of tropical, Caribbean flavor to the menu. From its smooth concrete floors to its rougher concrete driveway, Fuel has got a unique and funky appeal — especially since its original air conditioning system proved inadequate and the doors have remained open during most of its first three weeks. Two visits in the June heat proved that a little shade and a little breeze can be enough to keep comfortable most of the time. Broome says a bigger air conditioning unit is going to be put in, but that's almost too bad, especially given the price of energy these days. Robert Behre may be reached at 937-5771 or by fax at 937-5579. His e-mail address is rbehre@postandcourier.com, and his mailing address is 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403. |
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Comments
This article has 20 comment(s)
Posted by letstakeawalk on June 23, 2008 at 3 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wish the new restaurant well, I've enjoyed eating at the Fuel Pizza in Charlotte. Mr. Behre doesn't make it very clear; is this part of that chain or did the owners just happen to come up with the same name and kitchy theme? Regardless, it's great to see the old service stations recognized and revitalized!
Posted by postman01 on June 23, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like a cool use for something that would otherwise be abandoned and useless.
Posted by Paul on June 23, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ive eaten there ... authentic ""local Caribbean" food ... fresh and hand made ... low prices ... outstanding original fresh fruit tropical drinks. I sound like an advertisement; so be it, go there and see for yourself !
Posted by Early on June 23, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Do they serve beer?
Posted by konphidence on June 23, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
letstakeawalk,
you hit it on the head. I loved eating fuel pizza in the courtyard in downtown charlotte. one of the best pizza i have ever tasted. it might have been the beer and the late hour..... but i hope this is part of the fuel pizza chain. i will definitely try to stop by for a slice.
Posted by RTC on June 23, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Broome, 23, found the vacant building at Rutledge Avenue and Cannon Street and was struck by its rough charm. "Being an old gas station, the look and feel just brought up those great memories," Whitmire says.
Sorry, I just had to laugh. These younguns couldn't possibly remember those days. They weren't even born yet. I am old enough to be their mother, and I barely remember those old gas stations.
I wish them the best of luck though, it's a great idea.
Posted by mansejolly on June 23, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Konphidence,
It is not part of that chain, just a play on the old gas station. The food is good, though, and since i'm their neighbor i'm kind of glad it's not a chain.
Early,
Oh yes, they serve plenty of beer. I recommend the "fuel" beer (actually Busch Lite) on tap for "the price of a gallon of gas" during happy hour. But they've got other stuff for people who actually have pallates.
Posted by CedarPosts on June 23, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not the same as Fuel Pizza Cafe in Charlotte.
I'd guess the guys liked the FUEL Pizza idea and couldn't think up anything orginal. Too funny but they aren't the only ones with limited imagination, I saw a "FISH BONE GRILL" the other day, vs Bonefish Grill.
I guess if there's some trademark issue the lawyers will have at it.
Years ago FUEL gas stations were common as was PURE, Sinclair, ESSO, GULF, in Alabama and Georgia there where DIXIE stations that featured a confederate battle flag.
Wonder why they didn't call it DIXIE?
Posted by letstakeawalk on June 23, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@ CedarPosts
I hadn't been uptown to check them out, I wish there had been a good restaurant there when I lived on Cannon (I was there before Lana and Hominy Grill; only the roach infested Dave's was @ that intersection).
Now I'm concerned these kid didn't do their research, and may have left themselves open to a big lawsuit. At least they aren't a variation of "Crab Shack", because we know how that'd go!
http://fuelpizza.com/index.php
Posted by JohnS on June 23, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very dangerous neighborhood. People should go in pairs if wanting to go.
Posted by TheClick on June 23, 2008 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like a couple of young guys from Walhalla had a good idea and are giving the restaurant business a shot. To hell with the nay sayers, I'm willing to give it a try.
And I will be drinking the Busch Light.
Posted by CaptPete on June 23, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cannon Street is not a location you would want to be in if you were carrying any valuables.
Posted by TheClick on June 23, 2008 at 9:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Cannon Street is not a location you would want to be in if you were carrying any valuables."
Unless your valuables require a permit to carry.
Posted by rayonny on June 23, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All Americans today, regardless of political party, must come together today to face the energy crisis and our increasing need to become energy independent. President Bush has taken a bold step in his recent decision to urge Congress to end a long standing ban on drilling for oil off the coast of the United States. The ban applies to federal land off the US east and west coasts. They are estimated to contain 18 billion barrels of oil – enough to supply the US for two and a half years.
If U.S. oil companies are finally given the right to explore the vast potential regions of oil fields along the U.S. coast line from Florida up to Virginia and further north, we might find the solution to the crisis right here in our backyard ... no more than fifty miles away.
I urge all of the citizens of the these coastal states to put national pride before narrow self-interest in owning beach front property, and support the new energy initiative of the Prseident, as well as Republican nominee John McCain. We must begin the exploration now, so that drilling rigs can be in place and operational, before it is too late for this great country.
Posted by mizzou on June 24, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have eaten there a couple of times with friends and all the food has been really good. Love the sweet potato fries and boiled peanuts. The place has an ambiance all its own and the decor helps to complete that. Whitmire's comments ring true even if some of us might not be old enough to remember the stations "good ole days". Even with its simplicity, you can definately get the feel and visualize what the building must have been like back in its prime. A cool place with a big patio, courtyard and bocce court.
Posted by PalmettoHawk on June 24, 2008 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did they do an environmental study of the property? Did they consult an attorney about the wisdom of leasing a property that may have contamination due to leaking fuel tanks? Or have the fuel tanks been removed and the soil cleaned up...just a couple of concerns I would have regarding any former service/gas station property.
Due Dilligence
Posted by crzyscarlett on June 24, 2008 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wouldn't say the guys don't have imagination about their name. It's an old gas station. Duh. In order to trademark a name, it must be distinctive and descriptive, leaving "Fuel" out for anyone to trademark. As for the tanks, there's not an authority in town that would offer a certificate of occupancy, fire inspection or food permit without an EPA approval.
Although I'd love a Fuel Pizza, congrats to a couple of twenty somethings who seem to have some intelligence.
Posted by rollo on June 24, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It seems like a good location, Hominy Grill always has a line out the door for lunch, and the new place on the NE corner seems to do a brisk business too.
As for "Fuel", when exactly did it open? Last Tuesday?
Posted by kszimmer7 on July 14, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just tried Fuel for the first time this past weekend. It was really good food and the service was wonderful. The only downside, which I encourage the managers to look into: you have a bored bouncer. The place closes at 11 pm, which is perfectly understandable since it's in a residential area. The server made that clear to us. As we were trying to pay our bill and finish up with time to spare before the 11 pm deadline, the bouncer hovered over us, tried to intimidate us, and chastised us for taking too long. It sort of wrecked what had been a nice experience. I'm not quite sure what his actual job is, but I don't think you need him. Let him go, and use his wages to increase the pay of your waiters and waitresses who performed excellent service.
Posted by Snake on July 22, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does anyone know the happy hour specials? Any information more specific than 'a beer "for the price of a gallon of gas"' would help.