Does anyone have any historical information about the building located at Main Street and University Avenue which De Clieu Cofffee and Sandwiches now occupies? I’ve heard stories of it having been a car dealer which showcased brand new cars in the large front window. The name of it was Service Garage and in the back was the garage. Maybe the garage property didn’t go all the way to Sager. Maybe there was an alley before Sager. Before there was University Avenue, the road that ran alongside of the building was called Mechanics St. I believe the owner of Service Garage was John Sisson and his wife Mabel was the bookkeeper.

I understand the post office was attached to the Service Garage and there was a large house on the corner of Main and East Streets where the parking lot is now. Also Did the Sissons or Mabel’s mother live in the house which is still standing next to the parking lot?

I’d love to see an old picture of that corner.

Do tell, if you know anything and correct me where I’m wrong.
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You haven't seen the thread with almost 8000 posts called:

"Old pictures of Fairfax county, love em!"

The original place he started out at back about 1956 pal. He died bout 10 some years back, the huge pool at geo Mason is named for him, he was good guy a big guy and always drove VW's..LOL..I mean Corvettes..Brand New Natch!!

His son Jim McKay Jr died bout 1998 in summer,a horrible wreck on 123 driving a new Camero convertible at 90 mph at 9pm on the old 2 lane road, where it had a slight dogleg heading just past the Burke Lake park entrance heading to Occoquan where he had a boat. He was the only car involved, crossed over the lane and hit a tree..Thank God no one else was coming.

I think Jim McKays Daughter is the President of the business today, I have bought a new truck from them and there were good people, a solid FX business

DAJAX Who Knows All Bout FXCO and NOVA..Ok so its simply..A Lot!! LOL

That Was Jim McKay Chevy Wrote:
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> The original place he started out at back about
> 1956 pal. He died bout 10 some years back, the
> huge pool at geo Mason is named for him, he was
> good guy a big guy and always drove VW's..LOL..I
> mean Corvettes..Brand New Natch!!
>
> His son Jim McKay Jr died bout 1998 in summer,a
> horrible wreck on 123 driving a new Camero
> convertible at 90 mph at 9pm on the old 2 lane
> road, where it had a slight dogleg heading just
> past the Burke Lake park entrance heading to
> Occoquan where he had a boat. He was the only car
> involved, crossed over the lane and hit a
> tree..Thank God no one else was coming.
>
> I think Jim McKays Daughter is the President of
> the business today, I have bought a new truck from
> them and there were good people, a solid FX
> business
>
> DAJAX Who Knows All Bout FXCO and NOVA..Ok so its
> simply..A Lot!! LOL

Thanks for the McKay story, but I’m talking about the 1930s. Perhaps the owner of the Service Garage showcased a brand new 1930 Chevy Coupe in that store front window.
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Since it was farm country, perhaps he had a brand new truck in the window.
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"Service Garage and in the back was the garage" and they sold V-Dubs..LOL

Your Pal..DAJAX I remember hearing about a Garage ..I think Lehman Young Srs The Printer who died a few ago bout 94.

His father had a garage I think..on Main St but don't know where that was. I heard that somewhere many many moons ago...from Old Fairfax Types..so It may be Fake News..!

Funny how the road next to it was called Mechanics Street, yet there's nothing online about the mechanic shop.

Less than 20% of info from the Virginia room is online. Get off your ass and go to the Virginia room and ye shall find the shit ye is looking for!

Of The New City Library on 236 at 237

DAJAX's Names In them Books..Find Um..LOL!! We all are !! OK Many..!

so local Wrote:
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> Less than 20% of info from the Virginia room is
> online. Get off your ass and go to the Virginia
> room and ye shall find the shit ye is looking for!


How about you go do that and I’ll wait here.

After some research at the Virginia Room, it is very clear that the location the OP is asking about was once occupied by one of the original Arthur Treacher's. The owner then went on to open up a Howard Johnson's (in Rosslyn) and also a 3 Chef's over in Annandale. He was also a founding partner of Penguin Feather records. You really do need to see the 'old pictures of fairfax county' thread. You will find all of this information there.

Mechanic Street Wrote:
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> After some research at the Virginia Room, it is
> very clear that the location the OP is asking
> about was once occupied by one of the original
> Arthur Treacher's. The owner then went on to open
> up a Howard Johnson's (in Rosslyn) and also a 3
> Chef's over in Annandale. He was also a founding
> partner of Penguin Feather records. You really do
> need to see the 'old pictures of fairfax county'
> thread. You will find all of this information
> there.


Shut up DAJAX

That was Not Me..Thats the Treacher Guy..Who Posts His BS in many threads..

DAJAX ...I helped Ya all I could in Seriousness bout the history..and you go Off on Me....Young Man..

calm down. No one’s going off.

LOL..Time 4 me to go to sleep..Goodnight All..!

DAJAX

You are all wrong. From the archives of the City of Fairfax official history (found in the Virginia Room):

"The location was once the site of a goat farm and also a sawmill specializing in crown molding. In 1894 the land was sold to an English family of minor nobility, the Treachers. The Treachers came to England to escape persecution because of their unconventional way of using electricity to power deep fryers to produce amazingly golden brown fried cod and haddock. The Treacher family opened up the first restaurant on this site in 1902."

I know you had asked that question before, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember something about that also. I remember seeing an old photo of the place with a car in the front window. But I can't for the life of me remember where I saw it.
If I can scrounge anything up, I'll let you know.

That’s encouraging! Thx FC

Maybe it was an old newspaper ad, where you saw the picture.

causeican, I'm working on this one also....I'm amazed given that you have the names, nothing is popping up. Oh well, I love a mystery.

Thanks. I'm obsessed. My neighbor and another life-long resident - both over 90 - have spoken about the garage and it having a new car in the showroom window. They were speaking of the 1940s and mentioned Virgil Williams as owner and Mabel Sisson as bookkeeper. The 1930 census shows John and Mabel Sisson (husband and wife) being owners of a garage. The harder it is to find any printed information or pictures, the more curious I get.

On Main St called the carriage house, a old 1 story wood building that sits next to where the Lums was near the corner by the Courthouse, It was a Shade Tree used car lot a long time with different owners I looked at it with a well off friend who thought of renting it for a Shade Tree used car joint.. he didn't..Upstairs or in a attic the agent showing the joint pointed to a name written on the wall D Festerman 1887 maybe 1883 ..some date that old and said the place was way old. Never looked him up.

The joint was the top floor of a old carriage house, the horses & carriges kept below, old time "Parking Garage" for the Court House probably.. they cut it off and "Put The Top Down" Maybe later they sold..Convertibles in a show room..LOL See what the old folks say bout it.

It went to scraps about 1986 or so ..

Blame Me for this one DAJAX Old Folks..LOL "Location In Fairfax"..That WAS a Good One..LOL