DALTON, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals gave Lipton Properties the green light to reopen 630 Main St. as a gas station.  

 

The location has been an automotive repair shop, Miller's Service, for several decades until its owner, Darren Miller, sold it to Lipton Properties in February 2024 for $500,000. It had been a gas station dating back to the 1930s prior to that. 

 

Lipton Properties agreed to purchase the property provided the environment was in good condition, and the garage lifts and unused underground tanks were removed, said Michael Lipton, president of Lipton Inc. 

 

The tanks had to be removed to comply with the state Department of Environmental Protection's requirements. The agreement also included Lipton's intention to later install new tanks in the same location as the removed ones. 

 

With this approval, Lipton can now continue with his plans to invest approximately $3 million to revitalize and modernize the property to reopen it as a convenience store and gas station. 

 

The town's zoning enforcement officer previously denied Lipton's zoning use with an opinion citing the proposed use for "bulk storage and/or sale of petroleum products" are not allowed in a B-2 zoning district and "gas station" is not a recognized use. 

 

The property had been a Mobil gas station and service station for decades, known as Culverwell's Mobil station for nearly 30 years until it was demolished and the current structure built in 1970 as Dalton Mobil. Mobil's request to demolish it and build a larger station and canopy was rejected in 1990. Miller purchased the property in 1996.