the rise and fall of a New Jersey gas station, from Standard Oil ownership, to leased to an exceptional employee, private ownership, to the change in environmental protection policy that resulted in the change from leaky underground fuel tanks to expensive upgraded tanks, to taxes eventually being the downfall of a family business service station

Like so many other mom n pop gas stations that thrived until the 70s, Smitty's was a great corner gas station serving the community needs for the boom years, until the cost of doing business changed with the times, and without corporate level investment, they couldn't afford the new underground tanks for the 2nd time, in 2004, and other changes in traffic flow, etc etc smothered business. 

https://www.nj.com/essex/2025/08/njs-1st-black-auto-shop-fixed-cars-for-93-years-now-its-facing-eviction.html