Treads and Threads

Motorists cruising down Camden Avenue on the outskirts of San Jose can now fill up and dress up with one stop at Gas-N-Jeans, a new combination service station and fashion emporium. The gas pumps out front are standard enough, but inside the red-and green-painted garage, a carpet covers the grease stains. While the walls are still lined with tires, fan belts and hub caps, the steel hoists once used to lift cars now support jeans, sweaters, shirts and skirts bearing 20 different designer labels, including Bill Blass, Calvin Klein and Sasson. The gas is discount: $1.26 per gal. So are the threads: $29.99 for a pair of Diane Von Furstenberg jeans, compared with $41 at a San Jose department store.

Gas-N-Jeans is the inspiration of Vernon and Charleen Dickman, who own nine gas stations in California. Says Vernon: "I was paying $45 for those big-name designer jeans. But when I looked into it, I found that I could buy and sell them at a lower price." Business has been so good at Gas-N-Jeans that the Dickmans are thinking of adding clothing boutiques to several more of their gas stations. They are also pondering what other trendy products they can peddle. One possibility: jogging shoes.

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