By Annali Hayward
In 1974, 25-year old Arthur James Kean, from Huntington, Long Island, began working at the Mobil gas station on South Avenue as an attendant.
Fifty years, two children, three grand-children and a whole lot of celebrity encounters later, Art — as he is known in town — is a beloved New Canaan treasure, and likely the longest-tenured Mobil dealer in the state.
“I just stayed at it and kept going,” Kean said last week from his office. It’s a work ethic that propelled him through the ranks over his first decade at the company, from gas attendant through assistant manager, manager and then dealer.
It was at that point that Kean — whose trove of eighty-four personalized celebrity autographs adorns the station — had one of his most consequential encounters: Rawleigh Warner Jr., chairman of Mobil.
“He came in one Saturday, he was doing his window and I went over — I didn’t know who he was,” Kean said. “He said, ‘I heard about you.’” The pair started talking regularly.
“I got to know him like a grandfather,” said Kean, who recalled visiting the ailing Warner in later years every Friday in his Louises Lane mansion.
One day, Kean asked for business advice. “I said, Mr Warner, they’re going to be selling these stations off, what should I do?’”
Warner was characteristically bullish: “‘Well, you gotta buy it, Art. And when you sell it, you sell it for the sky,’” Kean recalled. He took the advice, though sadly, Warner did not live to see Kean installed as owner in 2010.
From his perch on the forecourt, Kean has seen it all over the years, from gas shortages (“We never ran out — it’s Mobil,” he said) to retail booms. At one point there were eleven other gas stations in town, said Kean. The Mobil gas station has been there since at least 1950.
“In this business, you got good days, bad days,” said Kean, “but if you weigh ‘em all out, it’s still good days.”
Kean is a fan of thriving downtowns, and somewhat laments the decline of cash-based transactions in favor of internet purchases and credit cards. But his love of New Canaan is evident. “There are a few empty stores in town but they’re starting to fill up — I like to see ‘em filled up, because it brings people in.”
And not just anybody — whether by serendipity or simply zip code, some of those people turn out to be famous. Among the portraits on his walls, Kean counts the great and good, from presidents to actors, newscasters to sports personalities.
“I sit on the bench out there,” Kean said. “I talk to ‘em. I get to know people.”
His newest acquisition? The anointed Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, whose hairdresser is apparently a customer. “I’m easy going,” Kean said. “I ask nicely.”
There are many to choose from, but Paul Simon was “good to him,” said Kean. “He got me Willie Nelson.”
But no matter who you are, Kean’s philosophy is to treat customers right and keep at it — a work ethic he has passed on to his children, Art Jr. and Maria.
“I kept my nose to it,” said Kean. “That’s how I do business. My kids are the same way; they’re very smart.”
It’s a formula that has proven successful for the family. The 74-year-old is the proud owner of no less than six gleaming cars, which he details himself. His current favorite is a Cadillac V. It’s par for the course for a man awarded multiple service awards from ExxonMobil as well as trophies and plates for exceeding gas volumes, all hanging in his office.
But it doesn’t go to his head. “I got my health,” he said. “I don’t care how much money you got if you don’t have your health.”
It’s that warmth that has cemented Kean in the hearts of New Canaanites. Even the local teens seem to somehow defer to him as a town elder. If they’re ever causing mild trouble, they scatter when they see him: “They say, there’s Art’ — boom, they’re out the door.”
Thankfully security has never been a big issue. In fifty years Kean has been held up just once, by a drug addict with a knife, who was caught the next day outside a deli. He credits the New Canaan police department with running a tight ship — indeed, an eighteen-year-old Kean joined the Norwalk PD for several years before turning to retail. A police radio gurgles in the corner of his office — he likes to keep an eye on things.
“I love this town. I love the people you deal with. I got a good customer base here. They know where to come.”
Kean’s son and daughter are increasingly taking the reins as he starts to dial back his hours.
“We are beyond appreciative for what our father has done for us,” Maria told the Sentinel. “Nothing was ever given to him — he worked day and night to create a beautiful future for me and my brother.”
As he starts his “semi-retirement,” it’s a safe bet that it will be hard to keep Kean from coming in to check up on his beloved customers and staff.
“I like to be here,” he said. “This is my pride and enjoy. I’ve been blessed.”
