Bob Hunt's Service Station at East 10th Street and Arlington Avenue--1950s

James Robert "Bob" Hunt, who dwelled at 336 North Arlington Avenue, operated his very own Mobil Gas Station from 1955 until 1959 at 990 North Arlington Avenue. City directories indicate that a service station had been in operation on the southwest corner of Arlington Avenue and East 10th Street since at least 1932. Typical of the times, Mr. Hunt operated a full-service station which included tire repair and replacement, oil changes, batteries, spark plugs, and engine repair. Attendants pumped the gas for those who pulled in and washed the cars. Mr. Hunt was a World War II veteran, who had been stationed in the Pacific Theater working in a machine shop and rebuilding torpedoes.

By the mid-1950s, the intersection at of 10th and Arlington had been full developed by Joseph Guidone with a grocery store,  a pharmacy, the Arlington Theater, a bank, and numerous shops. Mr. Hunt's brother, Harold, operated a jewelry store at 6006 East 10th Street. North and east of the intersection, developers were busy adding new housing additions to accommodate the building boom taking place in Indianapolis.

After four years in operation, Mr. Hunt decided that the venture had not been profitable and he went to work for US Naval Avionics to support his wife Ruth and their young son Bob. In 2019, a gas station still operates on the southwest corner of Tenth and Arlington.

Bob Hunt operated a service station on the southwest corner of East 10th and Arlington Avenue from 1955-59. Across the street, you can see the Arlington Supermarket owned by Joseph Guidone, a fabric shop, and a water tower. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt held the grand opening event for his new service station at 990 North Arlington Avenue on July 27 and 28, 1955. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt operated a full-service Mobil Gas Station at 990 North Arlington Avenue. In this photo, snapped c1955, Mr. Hunt stood next to his service truck. Behind him, you can see the Arlington Theater and the American Fletcher National Bank on the northeast corner of East Tenth Street and Arlington Avenue. Local residents who needed to get ahold of Mr. Hunt simply called Fleetwood 7-0836. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Image courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt

Bob Hunt, at the far left, stood with Howard "Bud" Tellman, Max Sharp, and another unidentified employee c1955 at his gas station located at 990 North Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

A special thanks to Robert Harold Hunt for making this post possible.

The Arlington Theater (1949-1985)

The Arlington Theater opened its doors at 1025 North Arlington Avenue in 1949.  For the next thirty-six years Irvingtonians flocked to the Art Moderne building to see the latest and most popular films in the country. The move theater became the place to go in the area among families because the management frequently showed Disney films.  The construction of the theater coincided with a building boom north and east of Irvington as returning World War II veterans took advantage of the GI Bill of Rights to purchase their dream homes.  By the early 1980s, independent movie houses like the Arlington struggled to compete with large megaplexes in nearby shopping malls.  The theater closed in 1985 and for a brief stint it served as venue for live music.  In the early 1990s, the local ACE Hardware Store (formerly Central Hardware) moved from its location at the southeast corner of East 10th Street and Arlington for the old theater.  Local carpenters converted the once stylish structure into a functioning hardware store by leveling out the floor. Thankfully, the management kept many remnants of the theater including the original fabric that used to cover the cinderblock walls.  All one has to do is to look up at the original ceiling to envision a lively movie theater.

A special thanks to Manager, Don Heslin and ACE employee Charles Luther for their assistance and hospitality.  

The Arlington Theater opened on October 6, 1949.  "You're My Everything" starred Anne Baxter and Dan Dailey.  (photo courtesy of cinematreasures.org)  

The very modern interior of the Arlington Theater at 1025 North Arlington Avenue in 1949.  (photo courtesy of cinematreasures.org) 

The beautiful entry of the Arlington Theater at 1025 North Arlington Avenue as it appeared in 1949. It took fifty loads of dirt to fill in the sloping theater to help level the floor for the ACE Hardware store in 1991. (photo courtesy of cinematreasures.org)   

One of the last films shown at the Arlington was "City Heat" starring Burt Reynolds in 1984. 

The Arlington Theater ceiling looks down upon an ACE Hardware Store in 2015

The original cloth fabric of the Arlington Theater can still be seen hanging on the walls of  the current ACE Hardware Store at 1025 North Arlington Avenue.  The fabric was actually hung on wood which was attached to the cinderblock walls. 

The management of ACE Hardware saved one theater sconces of the Arlington Theater for posterity.  

Part of the original fabric curtain still hangs at the west end of the former Arlington Theater at 1025 North Arlington Avenue.  

The original Art Moderne curved walls from the Arlington Theater at 1025 North Arlington Avenue still stand in 2015.