Baker Bros. selling downtown BP full-service station after 29 years

The place for full service gas in Tecumseh for 91 years has been the station at the corner of Chicago Boulevard and Pearl Street, and for the past 29 years brothers Jeff and Jack Baker have been manning the pumps as owners. After Saturday, the BP pumps will close, and within a week the garage will close as well.The gas station has been sold to Perky Pantry, although the timetable for the changeover is not known to the brothers. There are three Perky Pantry Mobil locations in Tecumseh and seven locations in Lenawee and Monroe counties.The corner of Chicago Boulevard and Pearl Street has been a home away from home to both Baker brothers since 1968. Jeff started working at Harold Easton’s Mobil station in 1962 and Jack joined his brother in 1968. In 1986 Jeff and Jack bought the station from Easton, later switching to the sale of BP gasoline.“We had so much time invested, buying the station seemed the right thing to do,” Jeff said. “We liked what we were doing. We had a lot of fun when we worked for Harold.”“I think that sums it up perfectly,” said Jack.Their father owned a gas station in Milan for a few years before selling the station and entering World War II. Although their father left his gas station career behind him for a career at Tecumseh Products, his sons picked up where he left off.From the beginning, the social interaction with their customers made pumping gas and repairing cars an enjoyable job for Jeff and Jack. The gas station downtown has been a regular destination for families in the area thanks to the friendly Baker service.The brothers have worn other hats in the community, Jeff as fire chief and Jack as a councilman and mayor, but most people know them as the brothers at the gas station downtown. Service was something the brothers learned from Easton and his commitment to Tecumseh.“We learned from Harold to give back to the community,” said Jeff.Easton operated the station for 41 years. The station is the longest operating business on the Boulevard, and its continued success is easily attributable for the brothers.“It’s always been our service,” Jack said.Working together for almost 50 years, the brothers learned how to navigate close quarters with each other to have a good working relationship. Neither man has grand plans for his retirement, and although they are both ready to move forward, the end of life on the corner is bittersweet.Letting go of their relationships with their regular customers is the hardest part of moving into retirement. Both plan to remain active in the community.Jack was elected mayor in November 2014, so he has that work to keep him busy. Jeff agreed with his brother’s words of advice to anyone considering opening a small business.“You’re going to work a lot of hours if you’re going to be successful,” said Jack.