For decades, the Wolverine has been a Chelsea institution and a familiar piece of the local landscape. That’s about to change: the Wolverine is about to close.

This Saturday (August 23) will be the last day for the Wolverine. Before long, the building with the distinctive paint job will be demolished — along with the neighboring gas station — to make way for a larger gas station.

On Monday I visited the Wolverine to get a few photos of the building and the paint job that helped make it a Chelsea landmark.

As you can see in the above pictures, most of the front of the building is brick. The rest of the building isn’t. That’s where the paint comes in.

There’s a touch of humor in the small sign painted next to the door:

“Please use front door,” says the sign. It’s good advice. Getting through that door would require patience, determination, and power tools.

The east side door has another sign:

“Please use back door.”

The front of the building now bears a banner breaking the news to all passersby.

There’s a marker clipped on the banner so loyal customers can bid the Wolverine farewell.

There are a lot of loyal customers.

Some of the messages are reminders of just how long the Wolverine has been a part of Chelsea.

Others reveal that the Wolverine has been a part of important moments in the lives of Chelsea residents.

When I was talking with someone about the closing of the Wolverine, she said, “Oh, my parents met there!” Every story like that — and I’m sure there are plenty — shows that the Wolverine has long served as a gathering place for Chelsea.