Loyd Hines had established a good business at his new Ford Tractor, Mercury Automobile, Star Tire dealership by 1954. It was located just down the hill, on the left going to Stephenville. His many years of work was paying off. The enterprise had just won an award for the best float in the 1954 Dublin Rodeo Parade. Loyd had sold a new Mercury Automobile and the new owner asked that the vehicle be brought to him. To deliver the vehicle, Hines was driving through New Mexico with his wife Helen following him in another car. Somehow there was a car accident. The car driven by Loyd hit an oncoming car with two men in it. All three died in the accident. The accident was witnessed by his wife, Helen, in the trailing car.
In the months that followed, Helen became the manager of the enterprise. Later the dealership was leased to Ben Robbins of Dublin and T. C. Poston of Stephenville. The two had some talks about arrangements, but they felt there was no reason to purchase fire insurance on the building because the walls were made of concrete.
Then on Friday night July 8, 1955 an electrical fire started in the back of the building in the ceiling. The fire was reported by a passing truck driver. By the time the Dublin Fire Department arrived, the blaze was quickly spreading. The fire department gallantly laid out 1600 feet of fire hose between the building and the nearest fire hydrant located at the corner of Patrick and Clinton Streets. The fire department had trouble putting it out because most of the fire was between the ceiling and the roof. (Dublin Progress, July 15 1955) The fire spread so rapidly that removing contents of the building became almost impossible. Only small items were saved. “In addition to valuable shop equipment, recently replenished stock of repair parts and tractor tires, the firm lost five new tractors and eight used machines and other merchandise in the showroom.” It was a devastating fire that many in Dublin still remember. Flames and smoke could be seen all the way to Harbin. (Dublin Progress, July 15 1955) With the building gone, the businessmen had to find a new location to operate the enterprise. Robbins and Poston re-established their Ford Tractor business in a building that had previously been used by Fred Fletcher Motor Company at 222 South Patrick.
The burned out walls and structure were removed and the lot cleared.
A portable building was moved later into the concrete parking lot and a teen restaurant was established called Hill Top Drive-in.