Bruce Friedman of Bethlehem knew what he needed to perform after graduating from Liberty Excessive Faculty in 1976. He wasn’t a typical teenager, there was no marching band follow or scoring touchdowns. As a substitute, he may very well be discovered beneath vehicles at his family-owned service storage in Fountain Hill.
By 2000, Bruce Friedman took over the reins at Friedman’s Service Middle from his late father, Robert Friedman. He carried out largely all of the work himself for 1 / 4 century on the bustling enterprise, usually pumping fuel for motorists and dealing with paperwork in between providers.
Now, the longtime mechanic is able to wipe the grease off his fingers, shut the bay doorways and put away his instrument field — for good.
Friedman’s Service Middle, which graced the triangle at Broadway and South Clewell Avenue for the previous 87 years, will shut store inside the subsequent six weeks. The closure is predicted to occur in two phases with automotive repairs ceasing on Jan. 31 and gasoline gross sales ending on Feb. 25.
Bruce Friedman mentioned he’s had a great run, permitting him to handle each second- and third-generation prospects. He’s able to spend extra time together with his spouse, Karen Friedman, 4 grownup kids and one grandchild on the best way.
“I’ll miss all my prospects,” Bruce Friedman advised lehighvalleylive.com. “Some have lately come by in tears to want me effectively and it’s touching.”
The late Robert Friedman is proven shoveling snow. Robert Friedman took over the storage in 1979 earlier than handing the operations over to his son, Bruce Friedman, in 2000. Friedman’s Service Middle has graced the triangle at Broadway and Clewell streets for the previous 87 years in Fountain Hill. Its closure is predicted to occur in two phases with auto restore work ceasing on Jan. 31, 2023 and gasoline gross sales ending on Feb. 25, 2023.
Robert Friedman’s 1949 senior yearbook entry at Liberty Excessive Faculty obtained it proper. When requested what he needed to develop into in life, the younger Robert Friedman by no means hesitated, his sons mentioned.
“He flat out mentioned, ‘I wish to personal and function a service station,’” Bruce Friedman recalled.
The late Robert Friedman took over the storage in 1979. It opened initially in 1936 underneath the possession of Robert’s uncle, the late Ed Friedman, and later, Robert’s father, the late Joe Friedman.
The unique constructing confronted Broadway, catering to residents “of the Hill” and South Bethlehem. Ed Friedman additionally was a businessman, promoting home equipment all through the Thirties from a showroom contained in the station. He had an settlement with St. Luke’s College Well being Community on the time to arrange tv units for hire in hospital rooms. Bruce’s brother, Jim Friedman, mentioned that connection led to many hospital workers and their households turning into common prospects of the service heart.
The unique constructing, occupying a Texaco fuel station, was razed in 1955 and a extra trendy website was constructed the identical 12 months on the property. The Friedmans in 1966 added considered one of first regional brushless automotive washes to the third bay in a $20,000 challenge. Motorists would drive into the bay, pay two quarters, and a nozzle would rotate across the automotive with a “sea horse” signal.
After shopping for 10 gallons of fuel, patrons obtained a coupon for a free wash.
“Folks like to keep in mind that,” Jim Friedman, of Montgomery County, mentioned with fun. “Outdated timers nonetheless recall the ‘sea horse automotive wash.’”
By 1977, the automotive wash was eliminated to make room once more for a wanted third storage bay. By the Nineties, Texaco vacated servicing the realm and Friedman’s grew to become an unbiased gas supplier. Gasoline attendants have been recognized to greet kids in vehicles with a bucket of lemon lollipops. Patrons of the previous nook Mowrer Dixie Cup ice cream stand would get their tanks stuffed after grabbing cool treats.
The fuel station was each full- and self-service. For patrons in want of of an attendant, a black air hose on the driveway was linked to a bell within the storage. When a buyer drove over the hose, the bell sounded. The identical bell’s been in operation from the Forties to at this time.
“I feel the sound will likely be embedded in our reminiscences without end,” Jim Friedman mentioned. “I feel Bruce heard it a whole lot of instances a day. He plans to take it house with him when he leaves and jokes he’ll cling it in his house storage.”
The household will always remember the time 1000’s lined up in Might 1990 when the storage hosted racing legend Davey Allison at an occasion. Allison, who went on to develop into considered one of NASCAR’s 50 biggest drivers, introduced alongside his No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford. He spent three hours signing autographs and greeting visitors in a torrential downpour.
Allison went on to die tragically three years later in a helicopter crash. The incident nonetheless leaves the Friedmans, who’re enormous NASCAR followers, in utter disbelief.
Together with Bruce and Jim, Robert Friedman’s different kids — son Bob Friedman and daughter Nancy Perruso, each of Bethlehem — all spent years lending a hand on the household storage. Their late mom, Joan Friedman, bought sandwiches and home made soups out of the storage at lunch time to close by Panzell Inc. manufacturing facility employees. Joan Friedman’s decor of the restrooms earned the service heart recognition as having one of many cleanest stops for vacationers by Texaco, Jim Friedman mentioned.
“She turned this place actually into one thing, it was like a present store,” he mentioned. “She turned it into one thing that actually introduced in some folks that may have by no means are available in right here earlier than.”
Patrons of the nook Mowrer Dixie Cup ice cream stand (pictured behind the station within the Fifties) would get their tanks stuffed after grabbing cool treats. Friedman’s Service Middle has graced the triangle at Broadway and Clewell streets for the previous 87 years in Fountain Hill. Its closure is predicted to occur in two phases with auto restore work ceasing on Jan. 31, 2023 and gasoline gross sales ending on Feb. 25, 2023.
The chapter quickly will shut utterly for the Friedman household. Bruce Friedman just isn’t promoting the station to anybody he is aware of. The property at the moment is underneath settlement with its future unknown.
As for novice auto technicians coming into the sector, the Friedmans say it’s modified considerably since they started. Whereas there’s nonetheless a tune-up or fast oil change on the service menu, there’s quickly rising know-how that must be realized together with it.
“Gone are the times the place you’d work in your good friend’s automotive and it’s ‘this wanted spark plug,’” Jim Friedman mentioned. “Now, you’re spending a whole lot of 1000’s on pc software program and books. Now, instruments are handheld computer systems and never simply wrenches.”
What was once the flip of a key to launch an ignition change is now the push of a button. If a battery goes useless on a push-button ignition, that’ll ship a patron from a mom-and-pop heart to a bigger dealership. That is coupled with newer, extra modernized state inspection and emissions tools wanted to be bought.
Like so many different small enterprise homeowners, unbiased auto service stations have felt the same crunch lately.
Nonetheless, evolving instances gained’t preserve Bruce Friedman utterly out of the sport without end. He plans to nonetheless work on vehicles in his retirement, however it’ll be on his personal time with no deadlines. Bruce Friedman’s message to loyal patrons over the many years: “I wish to thank my prospects — each new and previous — for his or her friendships and constant assist of the enterprise.”
“I’ll bear in mind you fondly as I enter the subsequent section of my life — retirement,” he mentioned.
Pictured are Bruce and Karen Friedman. Friedman’s Service Middle has graced the triangle at Broadway and Clewell streets for the previous 87 years in Fountain Hill. Its closure is predicted to occur in two phases with auto restore work ceasing on Jan. 31, 2023 and gasoline gross sales ending on Feb. 25, 2023.
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann could also be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.