Usually for this series, I feature a building that has been adapted or modified in some way, such that its original use is no longer readily apparent (see two of my favorites here and here). But I also use it sometimes to feature buildings that are just interesting in some way (like here).

That’s what today’s post is. This gas station—or rather, pair of gas stations—are exactly what they look like, and, in fact, they’re interesting because they appear to have never been modified or updated.

On a road outside of Rovinj, in the northwestern Istria region of Croatia, I came across this pair of obviously Soviet-era stations, built when this was still Yugoslavia. From the look of them, I’d guess they’re from the late 1960s or early 1970s. There was one on each side of the road, a pattern I saw a lot in Croatia. But one of them had been abandoned, while the other was still operating. As it happened, I needed gas, and while the car was filling up I took some pictures.

Here’s the abandoned one on the other side:

It reminds me of the architecture at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. There were a handful of years where everything from churches to fast food restaurants to civic buildings and car dealerships looked kind of like this.

The one still operating is essentially, if not completely, identical. But obviously I got a closer look at it. It’s an absolute time capsule! First, I ran across the street briefly to get a similar shot:

And here’s what that canopy looks like from below:

Check out the vintage tilework around the gas pumps:

The paint scheme of the curb surrounding the paved area of the property:

And the tiles inside the somewhat run-down convenience store inside (which nonetheless had fresh bread, among other items!) The color scheme was sure consistent.

The building itself is extremely unremarkable, which is often the case with a lot of snazzy postwar commercial architecture. That’s one reason why keeping the cool signs and letting the buildings be redeveloped appeals to me as a compromise in development/preservation fights.

I looked up “EP,” which based on the sign is the name of the gas station, but I didn’t find much. I did find this photo on Wikimedia Commons of a modern EP gas station, taken in 2011 in Sarajevo (credit Milan Suvajac/CC BY-SA 4.0). Otherwise, I could find nothing about the brand/company or its history.

If you happen to know anything about the company, leave a comment! Otherwise, just enjoy this look at an Eastern Bloc gas station that was a really neat blast from the past.

Related Reading:

“Excuse Me, Where’s the Car Aisle?”

All You Can Drive

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