An automotive dealer is creating a Birthplace of Route 66 Food Truck Park & Diner along, as you may have anticipated, Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri.
Kirk Wheeler, owner of the Wheeler Automotive lot, will convert the property at 1530 E. St. Louis St. (aka Route 66), into the food-truck park and restaurant two doors down from his dealership.
417 Magazine reports:
According to Wheeler, the food truck and diner will feature 10 food truck sites with electrical hook-ups, fresh water and waste water disposal. The diner that anchors the project will feature ’50s-era exterior lighting and signage, while the interior will showcase Route 66 memorabilia. While the diner will not serve food, it will offer both indoor and outdoor seating along with full bar service for the food truck tenants and their customers. Wheeler confirmed at least three food truck clients have signed on for the location: London Calling Pasty Company, Holy Cow Food Truck and The Wheelhouse, the food operation that has taken up permanent residence in the lobby of the new Vib hotel on Sunshine. Plans for the food truck park and diner by architect Jeff Wells are under final review by the City of Springfield. Construction and renovation could begin by May 1, with completion anticipated by July.
The development instantly brings to mind the Fuel 66 food-truck court along Route 66 in Tulsa. Note that the diner in the Springfield development will not serve food, but will have a full-service bar — much like the Tulsa site, as well.
Looking at the Springfield site, it sits barely a quarter-mile west of the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven. So it’s walking distance — on the same side of the street, no less — from that landmark motel.
Springfield in recent years has touted itself as the Birthplace of Route 66 because highway officials in Springfield sent a telegram in 1926 to the U.S. government accepting the number 66 for the Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.
(Artist rendering of the Birthplace of Route 66 Food Truck Park & Diner by Moffitt Brothers)
Interesting concept.
And how is the Fuel 66 food-truck court along Route 66 in Tulsa doing? Busy? All the truck spots full? Bar doing OK? Just curious how the other existing example of this concept is doing.
Based on its Facebook page, Fuel 66 seems to be active:
https://www.facebook.com/fuel66tulsa/
Excellent! Thanks for the link Ron.