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Thirty-Three Years Together

T,IERE WERE no service stations. But Despite the heavy competition, which
there was a gas pump at the curb and an soon moved in, the boys prospered and
air hose coiled in a wooden box. Gasoline eventually leased a station of their own.
sold for llc, kerosene for Sc, and octane Later they branched out with a second
rating was unheard of. The customer station.
pumped his own gasoline through the one-
Meanwhile they had expanded their
gallon pump and considered it a great business to include lubrication, vulcaniz-
favor if the garageman tested his tires ing, tires and accessories ; had taken spe-
and filled his grease cups.
cial training in these services.
Yes, that's exactly the way it was in a
In 1938, they decided to "go west." So,
small midwestern town when two four-
they sold out and relocated in Long Beach,
California. Convinced that successful op-
eration required association with a good No more alfalfa, melons and cattle. Earl
major oil company, they selected Shell Schmidt, left, and Helm finally persuaded
"because of excellent products and Shell's their -72-year-old mother to become an avia-
tion enthusiast too. Now, there's a runway
dealer assistance in merchandising."
and planes-a growing airpark-instead of a
The proof of the pudding has been a farm!
steadily growing, profitable business
throughout the past eight years.
They are enthusiastic users of direct PERSUADED
mail, both the Shell plan and one of their
own device. The latter consists of mailing
Shellubrication postcards to their large MoTHER SCHMIDT clung tenaciously to
file of so-called "dead" lubrication ac- farming-alfalfa, melons, onions, pota-
counts, in addition to regulars. They call toes and thoroughbred cattle, but her
these their "Question Mark Cards"-they
elder son, Earl, had other ideas for their
write in a row of ? ? ? ? ? in the place where 200 acres of fertile farm land.
the speedometer reading normally is en- To begin at the beginning-Earl and
Glenn Wainner and George Harris of Long tered. This novel method of utilizing the his brother, Helm, live on a ranch, near
Beach, California, are successful, satisfied free Shellubrication postcard has helped
dealers, who coop,erate to the fullest extent them revive better than 50 per cent of the Saugus, California, with their widowed
with Shell's efforts to create new customers mother. While still in high school the boys
and more profits for its dealer organization. lubrication accounts lost due to wartime were aviation enthusiasts-spent many
rationing. happy hours building a plane which un-
te@n-year-old boy~, who are now old time On the property adjoining the station fortunately is still in the old barn, unfin-
Shell Dealers, began working together in Wainner and Harris have installed a neat, ished. Enterprising Earl finally took time
a little garage. The year was 1914. modern, paved auto park accommodating off from farming to learn to fly with the
Several years later, a major oil com- 40 cars. This is a fine source of new gaso- ambitious thought of converting their
pany built the first drive-in service station line and Shellubrication customers. ranch into an airport.
in that town- Hutchinson, Kansas. Rec- For Glenn Wainner and George Har- It was hard-sledding and took a long
ognizing the ambition and capabilities of ris, beginning their ninth year as success- time to convince his mother that it was
these young men, Glenn W ainner and ful, satisfied Shell dealers, it is a far cry the right thing to do, but she was finally
George Harris, this company selected from the days of the curbside pump and persuaded. Now that the long-hoped-for
them to operate the new venture. the horseless carriage. airpark is actually in operation, Mrs.
Schmidt, who is 72, is one of its most en-
thusiastic boosters and gives the boys her
whole-hearted support.
At present they have a 2750 foot run-
NEW OLDTIMER way, 400 feet wide, with a 50 foot oiled
, strip in the center. Seventeen planes are
Meet a new Shell dealer who's really not permanently located on the field. Future
new at all! Herbert C. Weddle joined Shell plans include a large hangar, steak house,
in 1924 as a roustabout at the Lomita-Re- barbecue grounds, swimming pool, over-
night accommodations for fliers and
dondo field. He soon became a fireman,
lighted runways for night flying.
then a pumper at Signal Hill in Long Beach.
Schmidt Brothers is the oldest Shell ac-
He was transferred to Domenguez-lngle- count served out of the San Fernando
wood in 1943. Sub-Depot. They began buying Shell
products for their farm machinery when
After twenty-two years, uninterrupted by
the company first entered the area. More
sickness or accident, Weddle retired but
than satisfied with the products and serv-
just couldn't stay away from Shell. He's en-
ice, they just naturally wanted the same
joying his retirement by operating his own aviation petroleum products for their 6-S
service station at Compton, California. Ranch Airpark.
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