Andy’s Servo is something of a rarity in Australia.
Andrew Michael opened his independent service station and adjoining body shop in 1971, not long after he’d moved to Sunshine “for a nice, beautiful woman”, who later became his wife.
In those days business was booming.
“I had 10 people waiting in line,” he says.
But since Coles and Woolworths entered the market and began offering discount petrol dockets in 2003, Mr Andrews, and thousands of other family-owned independent service stations owners, have felt the pinch.
“It’s not worth anything now, they’ve killed us,” he says.
Despite not selling petrol for a few years, little has changed here.
The big ‘Andy’s Servo’ sign on the corner of Durham and Anderson roads in Sunshine remains, as do four dormant petrol bowsers.
And his mechanics business ticks over nicely.
Step inside the body shop and you’ll find treasures – old tools, a decades-old till and, if you’re lucky, Mr Andrews might be working on one of his vintage cars.
He’s got a few, including a 1966 model Pontiac and two Valiants.
His favourite is the convertible coupe that he’s restoring.
Mr Andrews came to Australia from Cyprus almost 50 years ago.
He was one of thousands who fled after Turkish troops invaded northern Cyprus, displacing nearly half the population.
He worked as a mechanic in Cyprus and says he will continue to ply his trade for years to come.
“If you retire, you go down there,” he says, pointing to the ground.
“I’m happy,” the married father of “three beautiful daughters” says.
