Ellice and Arlington's century-long gas station tradition to continue

© 2026, Christian Cassidy

January / February 2026

The nearly century-long tradition of a gas station being located at Ellice Avenue and Arlington Street is set to resume after more than a year's absence as Bunty’s, a.k.a. the “Chicken Car Wash”, is getting set to open Esso pumps. 

Here's a look back at the gas station history of  the intersection:

The first filling station to open at this intersection was a McColl-Frontenac in late 1928 at the SE corner. You can read more about the station's (and company's) transition from an M-C to a Texaco here.

“Peak gas station” came by the 1960s when three of the four corners had one. There was Leach's Auto Service (Texaco) on the SE corner, Ken’s Esso Service Station on the NE corner, and Shell Oil Service Station on the SW corner.

The Texaco closed in the early 1980s.

Shell Oil built a new, expanded service station in 1966. Thawani Enterprises applied for rezoning to change the building into a laundry, car wash and convenience store in November 1989. That store was put up for sale / lease in 1991 and became a Bread Basket Discount Bakery.

Bunty's, which has an Ellice Avenue address despite facing Arlington Street, dates back to at least 2001. The original owner put this location up for sale in 2019 to concentrate on his original location, Walia’s, on Isabel Street.

November 4, 2024, C. Cassidy

The Esso became a Mohawk Oil (Husky) Service Station by 1979. Husky was bought out by Co-op in 2023, and the new owner opted not to keep this location. It closed in the fall of 2024 and was demolished by early November. For the first time in 96 years, there was no gas to be had at Ellice and Arlington!