214 W. Franklin St. / Phillip Andrews Service Station / Reeves Service Station / Walker's Gulf / The Wicked Burrito

Built in 1949 for use as the Phillip Andrews Service Station, on property owned by Martin Fowler. The architect was Raymond Weeks (of Durham), and the builder was Ellington & Sparrow (of Chapel Hill). It provided Gulf Oil products and opened for business in July 1949.[1]

The business became Reeves Service Station on October 7, 1950.[2]

The business was purchased by Earl Walker and became Walker's Gulf Service Station circa 1953. In the early 1960s it was on the local boycott list due to it being a segregated business.

From 1973 to circa 1978 it was Sumney's Gulf Service (operated by Robert Sumney); from 1978 to circa 1988 it was West Franklin Gulf Service; from circa 1989 to 1991 it was vacant; from circa 1992 to circa 1994 it was Four Seasons Cycles and Fitness.[3]

The building was transformed into a restaurant, The Wicked Burrito, circa 1995, and closed in January 2000. The Town of Chapel Hill looked into condemning the property in 2005, as the property was abandoned and not upkept by its owners (Lone Star Steakhouse/Mama's Concept, Inc.) after the Wicked Burrito closed. It was finally re-occupied in 2009 as the restaurant Noodles & Company. Since 2020 it has been a branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In February 2023 the Boston-based owners of the property and buildings (this one and adjacent) have applied for a "Conditional Zoning Application," which means they want to tear it all down and build a 150-foot tall, 416,000 square feet building, to house a research laboratory, retail and office space. It will reach from Franklin Street to Rosemary Street. It's is called the "Longfellow Project." So, according to whoever wins the local elections, all this might be gone soon (if approved, construction is to start in early 2025). For more information, Indy Week recently wrote an article about it: indyweek.com/news/orange/chapel-hill-toggles-between-growth-and-change-and-staying-the-same-for-yet-another-election-cycle with an update here: indyweek.com/news/orange/chapel-hill-planning-commission-recommends-moving-forward-with-longfellow-project.

View north east, 1950 (via UNC's Yackety Yack)

Excerpt from July 8, 1949 Chapel Hill Weekly

Ad from October 7, 1950 Daily Tar Heel

Earl Walker's Gulf Service, view north, circa 1970 (via CHHS)

Earl Walker's Gulf Service, view north, circa 1970 (via CHHS)

 

 

ENDNOTES [1] Chapel Hill Weekly, July 8, 1949 [2] The Daily Tar Heel, October 7, 1950 [3] Various Chapel Hill city directories; Chipotle Restaurant environmental site assessment (2006)