Alex Canter recently received the keys to the historic Union 76 Gas Station at the corner of Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills. (photo courtesy of Alex Canter)

Alex Canter – the fourth-generation member of the family behind one of L.A.’s famous deli institutions, Canter’s –  has purchased the historic Union 76 Gas Station at the corner of Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Canter, along with a group of investors, hopes to transform the Route 66 roadside locale into “Maggie’s,” a new kind of gas station that provides high-quality food and household products while maintaining convenient service.

“We believe that the food and beverage experience at gas stations has been overlooked for a while, and we see an opportunity to bring a fresh, hospitality-driven mindset and approach to curation and coffee and food program,” Canter said.

With a massive curvilinear canopy that swoops toward the sky from its convenience store base, the Union 76 Gas Station at 427 N. Crescent Drive boasts the iconic “googie” style that was a hallmark of mid-century modern era of Southern California. According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, architect Gin Wong of Pereira and Associates originally planned for the building to be part of LAX, mirroring the Theme Building designed by William Pereira, Charles Luckman, Paul Williams and Welton Becket. Though the gas station never landed at the airport, the design was repurposed in Beverly Hills, and the building was completed in 1965.

“It’s a very legendary location. They call it the gas station of the stars. It is a landmark, and the iconic roof – we’re not going to be touching or altering it at all. We couldn’t, but we wouldn’t change it, even if we could,” Canter said. “Our goal is to make the inside match the epicness of the outside by making a really awesome experience where you can get everything from great soft serve to a great cup of coffee, latte, matcha –  modernizing and taking a new approach to curating and filling shelves with a lot of fun things.”

Canter said the previous owners’ history with the location reminded him of his own family’s legacy.

“We looked at a lot of locations across Southern California. This is a site that I always felt would be the perfect location to bring Maggie’s to life,” he said. “The family that had owned it previously [have an] old school family legacy. They’ve been in business for 60 years. Canter’s Deli is approaching 100 years, and it’s just a very natural fit for us to come in and transition and take over this business that they’ve been running for the past 60 years.”

The shelves at Maggie’s will be stocked with local, regional and national brands, Canter said, with a mix of classic convenience store snacks – M&M’s, Diet Coke – and higher-end products one might find at Whole Foods, Erewhon or Eataly – especially pastries, coffee and ice cream.

“We want to be known for having the best soft serve in Los Angeles,” he said.

In addition to the gas station’s historic exterior, the new concept will maintain another one of the Union 76 location’s unique features – a full-service approach where attendants handle the refueling process.

“It’s one of the last full-service stations in Los Angeles, which is sort of a lost art or a dying breed of hospitality,” Canter said. “We plan on continuing that forward with Maggie’s, and love to be able to offer a white glove experience.”

Maggie’s will also maintain the 76 brand of gasoline.

Canter said that Maggie’s – named for his dog – is expected to open in 2027. The Union 76 Gas Station will remain open in its current state until renovations begin, which Canter said will start soon.

“We’re turning this errand and chore into something that we hope people look forward to doing,” Canter said. “We want Maggie’s to be a destination and a place where people really enjoy and look forward to coming to, because they can get their favorite little treat inside.”