Arvida Photos


An Arvida sign in Boca Raton, Florida, old Dixie Highway. Taken in 1960 by Walt Wimer.




Arvida station in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Taken in 1960 by Walt Wimer.




Walt's notes on this brand:
Most of you don't know this brand as it had a very short life in south Florida in the very early 60s. "Arvida" stood for Arthur Vining Davis, a multi-millionaire from the Miami area. His company got the brilliant idea in the very late 50s to start a chain of gas stations in the Sunshine State. They were to be full service sites with lube bays and all, but sell gasoline at 2c below the majors. Gulf was contracted to be the supplier and even supplied plans for building the stations. They had plans for over 100 stations, but it didn't take long for them to realize their plan wasn't working. I doubt if more than 10 were ever built and probably not that many. People just didn't take to a major-brand-looking station selling at discount prices. They were used to such brands as BILLUPS, DIRECT, KAYO & IMPERIAL which were pretty much "gas only" for low prices. After just a few years the stations were converted to GULF and the whole idea went away. I would guess that Gulf bought the few stations that were built, but I don't know that for sure. I do have photos of 1 or 2 of the stations. I don't know that any collectibles exist for this brand unless a sign or two survived some how. No globes, maps, pump plates or oil cans are known to my knowledge!!
-Walt