In May 1974, E.B. Underwood and his son, J.B. Underwood, made the decision to lease the service station at 9416 Apison Pike in Collegedale. Now 50 years later, the Underwood family is planning to celebrate their special milestone with the community that has long supported them.
On Sunday, April 28, the Collegedale Exxon 50 Year Celebration will begin at 1 p.m. and run until 4 p.m., featuring food trucks and a live DJ on site. The event also includes prizes, free face-painting, caricature artists and more.
Everyone is invited to come and join the fun and festivities.
The station was originally constructed in the late 60s by O.D. McKee and leased to various people before E.B. and his son, J.B., decided to take over the lease in 1974. The Underwood family believed the station, located at a busy corner with a four-way stop, could be the perfect place to potentially grow a successful business.
When the Underwood family took over the operations, the country was experiencing a gas shortage. Gas stations were allocated only a certain amount of fuel, so E.B. and J.B. set specific times that their patrons could purchase gas each day. Dealing with the shortage gave them the opportunity to grow their business by dedicating more time to work on customers’ cars.
Over the years, their station has grown to 15 employees. J.B.’s son, Drew Underwood, has taken over the day-to-day operations of the business.
“We are so honored that this fantastic community has entrusted their vehicles and, thus, their families to us for 50 years,” said Drew Underwood, manager of Collegedale Exxon. “We’re also grateful to our loyal staff for their years of dedication. We look forward to continuing to earn your business and to serve our customers for many years to come.”
The City of Collegedale recently approved a resolution commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Collegedale Exxon, designating April 28 as the Collegedale Exxon Day. The commission recognized the Underwood family for "providing high quality service and products, their dedication to customer service, and the family’s many acts of good citizenship."