Resurgence of the Dino

Talk is spreading and curiosity piquing in Sheyenne about yet another new project.

"What's going on at the old Sinclair station?" – "Who is that guy who's working on that building?" – "Did someone buy it?" – "That building has to be 100 years old."

The questions are swirling as residents have taken notice of the changes to one of their community's most recognizable buildings.

Yes, the old Sinclair gas station just off Highway 281 has been purchased, and work is underway to clean up, repair and eventually renovate the long-dormant structure.

The station's new owner is Gavin Brown, a gifted and resourceful young man from Devils Lake, who's decided to bring a historic building back to life.

Some may recognize Brown's name or face if they've been to any musical productions in the area; his most recent performance was in the DPRCA production "A Christmas Story" at the Old Church Theatre in New Rockford last December.

Gavin also has ties to Sheyenne as he is the son of David (Sheyenne class of 1990) and Kim Brown. His grandparents are Dwain and Connie Brown, both long time residents of Sheyenne.

Since purchasing the station, which was first built in 1927, Brown has already scraped down the entire building right down to its original green and red paint.

His upcoming plans for the building include taking out the old concrete under the canopy and replacing it with a larger, new concrete slab.

According to Brown, other needs for the building are a new roof, window replacements, doors, plumbing and electricity along with some major work on the interior which Brown hopes to tackle this winter.

Asked about future plans for the building if it gets totally restored, Brown replied "there are some options but for now it will depend on finances to see how far the renovations come along. So it's a week by week/project by project sort of thing."

"There's a lot of work ahead of me," he added, "but I am very excited about getting things going. I have wanted to buy this building for years."

Brown has even tracked down two gas pumps and a handful of original Sinclair signs that he hopes he can purchase eventually. He's also considering some fundraising and looking into grants he may qualify for.

To date he has received a few thousand dollars from a few Sheyenne school alumni who share in his dream to not only renovate but hopefully "restore" the old Sinclair station as best he can.

The nearly 100-year-old landmark on Sheyenne's main street makes for a unique "Welcome to our town."

To keep up with Brown's progress on his mission to restore the Sinclair station, be sure to join his Facebook group, "Sinclair Station Renovation."