Levi provides a video report about POPS on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla. But I have no idea what he thinks, because his thoughts are expressed in American Sign Language. So ... can anyone give a rough translation of what he's saying? The video also contains a few still photographs of what's inside POPS.
Category: Businesses
Cool Springs Camp owner says he’s not shutting down
On the Route 66 yahoogroup, there was a report that Cool Springs Camp, on the old Oatman Road / Route 66 alignment between Oatman and Kingman, Ariz., has been closed down for good. However, I just got off the phone with Cool Springs Camp owner Ned Leuchtner in Chicago, and he insists this is a … Continue reading Cool Springs Camp owner says he’s not shutting down
Fruits from the Mother Road vine
In an Associated Press story about wineries outside of the usual strongholds like California comes a reference to a Route 66 business: Don Neal gets about 15,000 visitors a year at StableRidge Vineyards & Winery sandwiched between Oklahoma City and Tulsa on Route 66 in Stroud, Okla. Most come from urban areas or are international … Continue reading Fruits from the Mother Road vine
Book review: “Roadside Attractions”
Rating high on our wish list is an updated volume of "Roadside America." "New Roadside America," an irreverent but fond look at highway oddities, proved to be a critical influence to us at Route 66 News. The Roadside America site is still going strong, but the dead-tree version hasn't been updated since 1992. Brian and … Continue reading Book review: “Roadside Attractions”
Notes from the road
Seaba Station near Wellston, Okla., has been put up for sale. I'd been aware that Sue Preston and her husband, Sonny, had moved nearly 50 miles away to Yukon and that the operating hours of the Route 66 antique store had become sporadic. The well-maintained Seaba Station sits on more than an acre, and the … Continue reading Notes from the road
Top of the POPS
On Tuesday, Emily and I drove to the newly opened POPS convenience store and restaurant on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla. In case you hadn't heard, POPS is the brainchild of Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy Corp. in Oklahoma City. POPS was a way to tie together his love of Route 66 and the … Continue reading Top of the POPS
POPS is now open
The POPS convenience store / restaurant on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., tried to do what is called a "soft opening" on Monday and keep it low-key. However, travelers and the media got wind of it quickly, including the Daily Oklahoman. So much for low-key. The crowds continued throughout the day, confounding McClendon's plans for … Continue reading POPS is now open
Grand opening set for animal park
Animal Paradise Family Fun Park on old Route 66 near Strafford, Mo., is holding a grand opening -- or a grand re-opening, really -- this weekend, reports the Springfield News-Leader. The new owners of the former Exotic Animal Paradise have added new wrinkles to the operation, including a go-kart track called the Route 66 Speedway … Continue reading Grand opening set for animal park
“Independent America” on Route 66
This is an excerpt from the excellent 2006 documentary, "Independent America," which tells about besieged independent businesses fighting against big-box retailers. The first half of the excerpt contains a visit to Seligman, Ariz., and its Sno-Cap Drive-In and Route 66 advocate Angel Delgadillo. The second half tells about Wal-Mart's offensive ad against Flagstaff's efforts to … Continue reading “Independent America” on Route 66
Pointed questions mark Missouri 266 relocation hearing
The Missouri Department of Transportation wants to relocate Missouri Highway 266 a few hundred feet north so it can better accommodate Springfield-Branson National Airport. However, a lot of residents at a public hearing on Monday questioned whether relocating the highway was cost-effective compared to widening the existing one, reported the Springfield News-Leader. Those skeptics included … Continue reading Pointed questions mark Missouri 266 relocation hearing