The Navajo Nation is wanting to build its first casino near Gallup, N.M. But it has run into a snag that may mean construction delays and defaulting on its loan agreement, reports the Gallup Independent. There are two issues that could cause the Enterprise to miss the proposed opening date. “One is the easement. The … Continue reading Route 66 may cause problem for casino project
Category: Businesses
Century-old Grand Canyon business will close
Verkamp's Curios has operated on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for 102 years -- even before Arizona became a state. However, Verkamp's will close in September, and you can blame a good chunk of that on the federal government, reports the Canadian Press: The family's final chapter at the canyon … Continue reading Century-old Grand Canyon business will close
Hanging around in Hackberry
Here's a nicely done video about the Hackberry General Store, located on Route 66 in Hackberry, Ariz.
Wine country
No, I'm not talking about California. I'm talking about the Missouri Ozarks. And Appellation America has a nice rundown about its wineries, including those along the Mother Road: Historic Route 66 runs through the area, and much of the appellation seems unchanged from the highway’s heyday. The famous Wagon Wheel Motel and Finn’s Motel (“Vacancy!” … Continue reading Wine country
A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items
Eric Swanger is planning on driving the length of Route 66 in a few days. What makes his trip special is he's doing it entirely on a Vespa scooter. He starts from Chicago on May 6. He e-mailed: I am keeping a blog and posting a ton of pics. For the Route 66 segment, I'm … Continue reading A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items
‘A little bit of everything’
Dave Bakke of the Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register has a great feature about The Old Station in the Route 66 town of Williamsville, Ill. The owner is Frank Kohlrus, and it sounds like he's quite a character: He sells Route 66 memorabilia at his unique Williamsville shop, The Old Station. He also drove a tow truck … Continue reading ‘A little bit of everything’
Prime the pumps
The gas pumps at Roy's in Amboy, Calif., began working again in earnest on Thursday, reports the Inland Press-Enterprise. Hundreds of travelers, including motorcyclists on the annual Laughlin River Run, stopped in to cool off with sodas and water and to fuel their vehicles. Even before Okura formally reopened the restored gas station at 11:30 … Continue reading Prime the pumps
Nightclub on wheels
The Route 66 Casino Hotel near Albuquerque is constantly trying promotional gimmicks to draw customers. This one, I admit, is unique. It's a miniature replica of the casino's KXX nightclub -- complete with dancers, a bar, a dance floor, lounge chairs and disco lighting -- in a self-contained, street-legal truck. The party truck recently cruised … Continue reading Nightclub on wheels
“Abe on 66” bookstore opens tomorrow
Remember the announcement about an "Abe on 66" bookstore in Bloomington, Ill., which specializes in items from Route 66, Abraham Lincoln and "The Wizard of Oz"? It opens Friday. It's at 402 1/2 N. Main St. (map here). However, this excerpt from the Bloomington Pantagraph's story troubled me: Initial store hours at Abe on 66 … Continue reading “Abe on 66” bookstore opens tomorrow
Ghost town
Here's an atmospheric film about the nearly deserted Route 66 town of Amboy, Calif. Fortunately, Roy's (which is featured in the footage) is on an upswing. That's thanks to Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura, who is slowly but surely bringing the business back to life. UPDATE: I just found out from California Route … Continue reading Ghost town