"In 1938 Zippo made its first real estate purchase, buying a former garage at 36 Barbour Street. That fall, the company moved its offices from 21 Pine Street to the front of this building. The factory, previously located above the Rickerson & Pryde Garage at 7 Boylston Street occupied the back section.

This was the same year Zippo Founder George G. Blaisdell modified the design and manufacture of his Zippo windproof lighter. He utilized a drawn case to produce the familiar and now-classic founded design. The new case replaced the 1932-1937 square-cornered model that had been cut from rectangular brass tubing.

By 1955 the factory and offices were moved across the street to a much larger facility at 33 Barbour Street. The 36 Barbour Street building was then remodeled into the Zippo fuel plant. A portion of the front of the building was removed to accommodate an underground fuel storage tank.