Stan’s is torn down to make room for Wendy’s

For over 30 years Stan’s Service Station at 33 Austin Boulevard was a fixture in Island Park. On Feb. 23, the building was torn down to make room for a new Wendy’s restaurant.

According to Gus Tsafas, the owner of Stan’s, in 1974 his father, George Tsafas, came to America, and worked as a mechanic in Astoria, Queens. A friend in Astoria referred George to a garage in Island Park, at 45 Austin Boulevard, the present site of Saachi Jewelers and Miami Night’s Restaurant. Stan Lloyd owned the garage, and in 1976 George and went to work with him. Michael Messina, Gus’s future partner was also working at the garage in 1977.

“My father didn’t want to raise his children in Astoria, he wanted us to have green grass,” Gus said, “So he bought a house in Oceanside.”

As the business grew Gus said George decided he did not want to rent space any longer, so in 1980 he split with Stan, and joined Messina at a garage at 33 Austin Boulevard. Gus joined them in 1980 and became Michael’s partner.

Stan’s was located next to the Barnum Landing Shopping Center at 4575 to 4601 Austin Blvd., home to King Kullen and other stores in Island Park.

When developer John Vitale began the Barnum Landing planning phase, both Gus and Vitale said they discussed the possible sale of the garage,

Gus said after Hurricane Sandy, and more negotiations he and Vitale both agreed on a price, and Gus sold the Stan’s site to Vitale. The site is now being developed as a Wendy’s Restaurant.

Now Gus moved again, this time to Long Beach, partnering with Surf Glass on Long Beach Road. “Harold Michaelman remains the owner of Surf Glass, and still works on home windows and other glass,” Gus said, “While I, at the new Gus’s Service Center, work on windshields and auto glass in addition to full service auto repairs. Gus says with pride, “I am the oldest surviving auto repair and windshield garage in this area.”

Vitale said, “Gus and his sister Olga have been great neighbors. They have been in business in Island Park for 30 years, and we have had a good relationship. This is a deal we are both happy with.”