Huge development planned for downtown Baxter Springs

A developer has purchased nearly one block of downtown Baxter Springs, Kansas, and plans to open a car museum, go-kart track, craft-beer bar and a restaurant there.

David Hickmott of “Decades of Wheels,” a nonprofit corporation based in nearby Miami, Oklahoma, plans the massive development in the west side of the 1100 block of Military Avenue (aka Route 66) in Baxter Springs, reported the Cherokee County News-Advocate.

“Decades of Wheels” will feature a one-of-a-kind car museum that boasts a number of famous cars from films.

“We’re going to have 30 cars, of historical significance, on display at all times, and that inventory is going to rotate every 30 days out of a much larger collection, so there’s always going to be something new to come see,” Hickmott said. […]

“There’s going to be live music, a full restaurant, a bistro, craft beer, an indoor go-kart track,” said Hickmott. “It’s really going to be the sort of place the whole family can come and spend time. A little bit of something for everybody.”

KOAM-TV also posted this video:

KOAM TV 7

Decades of Wheels is set to hold a grand opening by October with undisclosed national performers. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for May 19.

Decades of Wheels already has a website. It states:

The Decades of Wheels museum is a tribute to beloved cars and motorcycles throughout history, from a Model T and Hellcat Chargers to vintage Corvettes and a ‘71 Husqvarna owned by Steve McQueen. A 300-plus vehicle personal collection of a private citizen is being turned into the Decades of Wheels museum, with a grand opening the weekend of October 12, 2018.

Decades of Wheels also launched a page on Facebook.

That block of Military Avenue includes the now-closed Cafe on the Route, a pharmacy, Sacs 66 pawn shop, and the closed Angels on the Route restaurant. Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce said in an email the only holdout in that block is the owner of the recently reopened Ritz Theatre.

(Excerpt from Google Street View of the west side of the 1100 block of Military Avenue in Baxter Springs, Kansas)

3 thoughts on “Huge development planned for downtown Baxter Springs

  1. The last sentence of the last paragraph doesn’t make much sense. The owner of the Ritz Theater is the only “holdout”. What does this mean??? Holdout for what? This needs further explanation.

      1. I’m not sure I would trust the developer to maintain the historical integrity of the Ritz if he acquired ownership of it.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.