Richard T. Kyers opened his filling station on the northeast corner of Cedar Avenue and East 79th Street in 1933. Kyers, who was born in Atlanta in 1905, migrated to Cleveland in 1922 and initially worked as a machinist. A decade later he leased a vacant lot and built a simple three-pump filling station. In 1936 he rebuilt it and added a four-bay “lubritorium” to service autos, as well as a “wash rack” that advertised “Simonizing,” which was a common name for wax polishing that derived from the name of a wax brand. By that time, Kyers employed six attendants. In addition to his service station, Kyers expanded his business holdings in the vicinity of Cedar and 79th, opening a grocery store at 7816 Cedar in 1940. Around the same time he also acquired a large apartment building, the Duchess just north of his station, in the early 1940s and turning it into a hotel. Kyers operated his station into the mid-1950s.
Green Book Details
Kyers Service Station appears in the Green Book from 1946 to 1955 at Cedar & E. 79th St. in the category Service Stations. Richard T. Kyers owned the station, as well as the adjacent Duchess Hotel.
Resources
- “A Person You Should Know.” Call & Post. May 30, 1942.
- “Display Ad No. 25 — No Title.” Call & Post. April 6, 1939.