The landmark Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs, California, will host a celebration of life on Feb. 28 for the restaurant’s longtime owner, Andrea Pruett.
The California Historic Route 66 Association reported the event will be from noon to 4 p.m. that day.
The public is invited, and the family invites attendees to share their memories of her.
Pruett died last month at the age of 85.
Pruett bought the restaurant in 1994 after becoming enthralled by the 1987 Percy Adlon cult movie of the same name, which had been filmed there.
The restaurant was previously known as the Sidewinder Cafe since the 1950s, and Pruett changed its name to the Bagdad Cafe after the film and the ghost town along Route 66 about 50 miles to the east.
After Pruett rechristened the restaurant, it continued operating and welcomed a great many European tourists who were also entranced by the eccentric “Bagdad Cafe” film.
Several years ago, the Bagdad Cafe stopped serving food but remained open to tourists by selling T-shirts, Route 66 souvenirs, soda, beer and coffee.
She and her restaurant had suffered a series of setbacks, including vandalism, storm damage, COVID-19 shutdowns and a fire that destroyed her home.
The California association reported that shortly after Pruitt’s death, the Bagdad Cafe was awarded a $10,000 grant for facade improvements. Greg, her grandson, is overseeing those improvements.
The association added on Facebook: “The Bagdad Cafe is open every day. If it’s closed when you arrive, the manager is likely on a quick errand. Please be patient with Andrea’s beloved family and staff during this time of transition and mourning. Please continue to support the Bagdad Cafe.”
(Image of the Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs, California, by Vicente Villamon via Flickr)