Proprietor Seeks Gas Station Conversion License for Walpole Street Landmark
The Wings may take flight, and habitues of the popular pizza, beer and dance emporium will have to find another place to roost. Proprietor Thomas F. Lee applied to selectmen last week for a license to store volatile fuels on his premises at 463 Walpole St. Mr. Lee proposes to tear down The Wings and the adjacent dry cleaning plant and lease the land for use as a gas station.
He agrees that The Wings is a popular spot. He will even agree that it is a great money maker. However, he says that for 23 years he has been working seven days a week, 12 or more hours a day to establish and maintain the image of the clean neighborhood emporium. Mr. Lee is tired. He feels he has earned a rest. He says he would sell The Wings if he could find a buyer who would not have to depend on him for financing. That sort of arrangement, he says, would keep him nearly as involved as he is now.
Selectmen have set July 15 as the date for a public hearing on Mr. Lee‘s petition for a permit to store fuels on his premises. He says he does not expect much opposition to the petition as neighborhood residents are mainly interested in traffic conditions on Route 1A. In Mr. Lee‘s estimation, a gas station would not add to traffic congestion as two establishments requiring parking would be removed to permit a station which would have an “in and out traffic flow.”
If his permit is granted, the 4M Petroleum Company will lease his land to build a modern station for fuel dispensing only. He said no repairs or automobile servicing would take place on the premises. A local resident observed that he hopes such a station would also dispense “that great Wings pizza.” “After all,” he mused, “we’ve become accustomed to its taste.”
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.