22-07-2025
How a 1950s Mobil service station on the NSW coast got second life as viral entertainment hub
A retro 1950s-style service station in the Illawarra region is attracting more attention than ever after it went viral on social media.
The ServoFood Truck Bar is based near Wollongong in NSW and has quickly become a cult favourite, not just for providing a pit stop for drivers, but also for its drag shows, live gigs, fire pits and open-air movie screenings.
Social media commentators have taken to Instagram and Facebook praising the lifestyle hub.
'The Illawarra got way cooler the day the servo opened,' one fan commented on Instagram.
'Thank YOU for creating such a safe and wonderful space,' raved another.
The Servo was the brainchild of local man James Spinks, who told a local publication just how he'd given new life to an old Mobil petrol station.
'We're doing things on a shoestring budget; it's totally DIY,' he said.
'You've got to have either money or time, and we took the time approach.
'It's been good. A big part of it is listening to the stories about what the place was, not just The Servo but also Port Kembla,' he told Region Illawarra in September 2024.
The former service station hosts a variety of gigs and events, ranging from showcasing Indigenous art from the local Aboriginal corporation to hosting a series of food trucks and outdoor gigs.
Originally an actual service station, built around the 1950s, sections of The Servo have previously been a gym and a cafe.
The idea to create a food truck, bar and performance space began in 2018.
As part of the food truck idea, customers can enjoy deep-fried lasagne toasties one weekend, and slow-cooked pork cordon bleu bao the next.
It is located near the Port Kembla steelworks, with the space also featuring mural covered walls, fairy lights and reclaimed timber furniture.
