The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., reopened to the public for the first time Friday morning since being heavily damaged by a fire nearly a year ago.
A couple of contractors need to finish work on the historic Route 66 restaurant, and owner Dawn Welch and her crew could offer only a very limited menu, all gratis. But nearly all of the important work on the restaurant is done, and the Rock Cafe will return to being a full-service restaurant in a week or so.
Construction work and cleanup was still being performed early Friday, before roadies started trickling in.
But longtime Rock Cafe employee Beverly was there to prepare beignets, just like old times.
Hot dogs and sweet tea were to be served later in the day.
Keith Taylor, a reporter from KTUL-TV in Tulsa, was there for a live feed to do a story about the Rock Cafe’s resurrection and reopening. Taylor is interviewing Welch and David Burke of David Burke Historic Preservation, who was the general contractor in the restaurant’s reconstruction.
The KTUL truck beamed its signal, next to the Rock Cafe’s famed neon sign.
For years, Welch allowed customers to write tasteful graffiti on the bathroom walls. The fire destroyed years of tourists’ scribblings, so Welch is allowing visitors to start anew.
Spotted that morning in the Rock Cafe were Route 66 artist and author Jerry McClanahan and Route 66 Preservation Program director Kaisa Barthuli. I also chatted with an older gentleman who recalled a very early alignment of Route 66 north of Stroud, and shared memories of raising cattle on the Mother Road in 1933. That’s what’s cool about old 66 — you never know what sort of pleasant surprises are in store.
In about a week or so, roadies will get to eat chicken-fried steak, buffalo burgers, and jagerschnitzel and spaetzle again at the Rock.
I’ll be there in September!
The reconstruction is SUCH a tribute to Dawn Welch’s character, but such it is in the heartland of America.
Thats just too cool. I was going to ride out there this weekend but the weather got nasty. Congrats to the Rock Cafe!
The older man with the great memories of the Rock Cafe from when it opened in the 1930s is Lawrence Bond. It was interesting to talk to someone who was there for both the building and the rebuilding of the Rock Cafe.
We were there in July of 08. due to the fire of course it was closed. So on our Rt 66 trip this yr. in July we had to stop. The food was GREAT. There was also somebody taping a show. Does any body know what that was and when and where it will be aired? We were just wondering. We loved our trip and the experience was life filling.
Bold Moves Mustang Club of Tulsa loves Dawn, staff and the Rock Cafe! Thanks for having us this past weekend.
Glad to have you back! It’s too easy to take the insurance money and run these days. Dawn … you’re a Route 66 Icon and what it’s all about.
Many visits ahead,
Paul Haines
President, Bold Moves Mustang Club of Tulsa
PS.. The Chicken Fried Pork Steak is so good, I’m sure it’s considered sin in most religions!
After seeing you on ” Diners Drive-ins & Dives my daughter and I are planning a trip on the Mother Road. You can be sure were giong to stop.