The old gas station at the corner of Shaw and Klemm is up for redevelopment. I thought to look into the history of the building and the story of its people.
4175 Shaw was built, according to city records, in 1924 on the site that had been used as outhouses for Mullanphy School.
Charles Vogt was the proprietor of the filling station at 4175 Shaw and lived across the street with his wife Eula (nee Lane) [1], daughter Joan, and son Charles Jr. at 4170 Shaw. [2] (Interesting note: current and long-time Shaw resident Don Burrus lived next door to the Vogts at 4168 Shaw in 1940 – he was 5 years old!) Charles Vogt came from Perryville, MO, where his father was the proprietor of the Perryville Mercantile Company. After his death in 1954, the filing station at 4175 Shaw was operated by Barney Brimmer. [3] [4]
Earl ‘Barney’ Brimmer and his wife Katherine (nee DellaRatta) lived at 3232 Longfellow in the nearby Compton Heights neighborhood. He had grown up at 4164 Shaw, neighbors of the Vogt family, and had perhaps worked at the filing station as a teenager. Their son Jack was listed in the 1960 City Directory as an attendant at the 4175 Shaw gas station. Katherine (Kay) Brimmer was active in the Compton Heights neighborhood, being featured in Deb Peterson’s Post Dispatch column in 2011:
BUBBLY BRIMMER: Vivacious Kay Brimmer celebrated her 93rd birthday on Thursday night with a multitude of well wishes, a bouquet of ballons and lots of glasses held high at Just John’s in The Grove.
Brimmer, of Compton Heights, who easily passes for a woman 25 years younger, was feted by family and friends.
Among family members who celebrated were her daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Mike McIver; granddaughter Katie McIver; grandsons Patrick and Joe McIver; and Joe’s wife, Suzanne McIver.
The crew of friends and neighbors included Patty Burke, Charlie Daniels, Jeff Diggs, Debra Carnahan, Wendy Zimet, Jian Stennet, David Sillin, Catherine Gambaro and bar owners Jeremy Ruot and John Obercrammer.
The diminutive and impeccably dressed Brimmer told revelers that the key to her long and happy life is her great family and knowing how to have a good time. True to her word, Brimmer started the party at 5 p.m. and was still kicking up her heels at 10 p.m.
Kay Brimmer passed away this past July at the age of 97. [5]
The service station at 4175 Shaw was operated until the mid 1980s under the Gulf Oil company, according to the Tower Grove CDC. I would love to find an old picture of the station in operation – if anyone has memories or stories of the station please let me know!
Shaw Archives 