Independent York gas pumper celebrates 50th
Charles Rudisill’s service station in Spring Garden Township opened 50 years ago. He continues a tradition of independently owned service stations.
He’s been at it for 50 years.
So Charles K. Rudisill, one of the area’s last independent service station owners, was featured in a York Daily Record story this week.
Now, his story is part of the historical record.
It begins like this: … .
Jul 25, 2007 — Pull into Charles K. Rudisill Auto Service on Mount Rose Avenue, and none other but the eponymous owner will be the one filling the tank.
He’s been at it for 50 years and sees no reason to stop now.
“I was 20 years old and thought it best to get away from the place where I grew up,” he said. So he moved from Gettysburg to York County and opened his shop in 1957. At the time it was a Gulf station, but that affiliation ended a decade ago.
At first, it was a full-service shop that did just about any kind of car repair, but as cars grew more complicated and staff started to leave, Rudisill pared down his business.
Today, he employs just one other worker: his daughter Lynne Spangler, 39, who tests vehicle emissions while he conducts state inspections and does oil and filter changes.
He also cut back on the Avis car rental service he offered.
“They were a real money-maker,” he said. “But they got to be too much.”
