Intrepid Travel, a small-group guided-tours company, is seeing increased sales in North America and is going to boost the number of vans it uses to operate these trips, according to a news release. Intrepid is projecting a 25 per cent increase in sales to North America this year. [...] "People are making the most of … Continue reading No recession here
Category: Businesses
A thorny situation in Seligman
Here's a thorny situation in the Route 66 town of Seligman, Ariz. According to the Arizona Republic, Cemex wants to build a big cement plant on the outskirts of town, thus creating jobs and boosting Seligman's tax base. But folks also are concerned that the plant will be a big-time polluter, fouling the air of … Continue reading A thorny situation in Seligman
Paul Harvey, R.I.P.
Paul Harvey, a legend in radio for more than 50 years, died at age 90 Saturday at a hospital near Phoenix. Rather than recount Harvey's unique delivery and his many accomplishments in broadcasting, it should be known that the Tulsa native also left his own unique stamp on Route 66 at least twice. First, Harvey … Continue reading Paul Harvey, R.I.P.
Route 66 association re-formed in Kingman
MohaveBusiness.com has details about the newly formed Kingman Route 66 Association, based in Kingman, Ariz. And it's interesting what the association's president has to say: One of our primary goals is to create attractions for people instead of just being a stopover,” association president Tim McDonnell said. “Our motel occupancy is off the chart, but … Continue reading Route 66 association re-formed in Kingman
New Mexico lodging-tax proposal is killed
The Tourism Association of New Mexico reports that a bill in the state legislature that would have imposed a 10 percent tax on all lodging establishments, including RV parks, was tabled in committee on Wednesday night, essentially killing the measure. The bill, SB 595, was tabled by a 4-3 vote in the state senate's Corporations … Continue reading New Mexico lodging-tax proposal is killed
Big rocker is certified as world record
The gigantic rocking chair at the Fanning Outpost General Store in the Route 66 hamlet of Fanning, Mo., was certified as an official Guinness World Record as the largest such piece of furniture, according to a news release Wednesday. The chair was custom-built for store owner Dan Sanazaro last April. Officially, the chair measures 42 … Continue reading Big rocker is certified as world record
Smithsonian takes a dour look at the Mother Road
Megan Gambino in the March issue of Smithsonian magazine takes a somewhat dour look at the Mother Road. Here's an excerpt: Writing about the Joad family's journey from the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma to the promised land of California in The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck famously called Route 66 the "mother road." But today … Continue reading Smithsonian takes a dour look at the Mother Road
Adding ladies to the legend
The Tampa Tribune takes more of a feminist angle of Route 66 in leading off its story about 4 Women on the Route of Galena, Kan.: Think of Route 66 and several names come to mind: Bobby Troup, who wrote "Route 66"; John Steinbeck, who proclaimed it the Mother Road in "The Grapes of Wrath"; … Continue reading Adding ladies to the legend
Spreading the word via YouTube
This is going to be commonplace in the coming years: businesses touting themselves to potential customers, via YouTube. As an example, here's one by Historic Seligman Sundries on Route 66 in Seligman, Ariz.:
For sale — one grocery store on Route 66
Bassett's Grocery, which has operated on Route 66 in Afton, Okla., since 1922, is set to close soon, reported Laurel Kane on Sunday on her blog, Thoughts from a Route 66 Business Owner. Shortly after we arrived at Afton Station this morning, Tommy Bassett came over to announce that he's officially closing his little grocery … Continue reading For sale — one grocery store on Route 66