Dale Holly has the barbershop he's owned since 1962 up for sale at 2312 Utica Ave., aka Route 66, in the Royal Heights neighborhood of Joplin, Mo. But it's not just any barbershop. Dale's Ole 66 Barber Shop was a Phillips 66 gas station, built in the 1920s, Holly reckons. It also sold Shamrock gasoline, … Continue reading Barbershop for sale
Category: Businesses
Historic Galena tavern will reopen
It was looking grim for the 114-year-old building that housed the Green Parrot tavern in Galena, Kan., a couple weeks ago when a sinkhole opened up behind the property and threatened to swallow it. Many people predicted, including me, that the entire building would have to be condemned. Well, reports of the Green Parrot's imminent … Continue reading Historic Galena tavern will reopen
Stater Bros. grocery chain celebrates 70th anniversary
Stater Bros., a grocery chain based on Southern California, is marking its 70th year. The San Bernardino Sun published a story about the chain's history and interviewed its CEO, Jack Brown. This story is going on Route 66 News because Stater Bros. is the major sponsor of the Route 66 Rendezvous. In fact, the event … Continue reading Stater Bros. grocery chain celebrates 70th anniversary
Bent Door will become a diner again
The historic Bent Door along old Route 66 in Adrian, Texas, has been closed for years. However, a couple purchased the property on July 21, and they say they're committed to reopening it as a diner / malt shop again. Linda Drake of the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce helped put me in touch with … Continue reading Bent Door will become a diner again
Town plays up Route 66 connection
Wilmington, Ill., is trying to generate more business into its downtown area. So not only was one Web site created that hypes up the town's link to Route 66, but two, reports the Joliet Herald News. One Web site is www.route66wilmington.com. The other is a MySpace site, found here. (Hat tip to Lynn "Lulu" Bagdon.)
Restaurant inspired by Lucille’s to open next month
The Associated Press is reporting that a restaurant inspired by Lucille's in Hydro, Okla., will open in nearby Weatherford in August. Rick Koch, owner of the soon-to-open business, told me last week that Lucille's Roadhouse has a tentative opening date of Aug. 1. It was going to open late July, but he said they had … Continue reading Restaurant inspired by Lucille’s to open next month
How two towns survived the bypass
The Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune has an interesting story about how two Wisconsin towns survived when U.S. 53 bypassed them. The story starts by comparing them to the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. In "Cars," the latest big-screen creation from Pixar and Walt Disney, a new highway bypasses a dusty desert town called Radiator … Continue reading How two towns survived the bypass
A history through postcards
The Alibi, which is an alternative newspaper in Albuquerque, reports that there is a "Route 66 Through Albuquerque: A Postcard History" exhibit at the Special Collections Library at 423 Central Ave. NE through Aug. 26. Alibi staffer Steven Robert Allen writes: The highlight is a display of vintage Albuquerque postcards mounted beside captions explaining their … Continue reading A history through postcards
Love the Luna Cafe
I started missing the Luna Cafe in the Route 66 settlement of Mitchell, Ill., as soon as I read this first paragraph from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch story: Any time you walk into a bar with Bob Seger playing on the jukebox, you have a pretty good idea of the ambience. Luna Cafe doesn't disappoint, … Continue reading Love the Luna Cafe
Pub opening on Route 66 of Albuquerque
Yeah, I can hear the reactions to that headline. "A bar is opening? So what?" But as Chantal of Duke City Fix wrote earlier, this is different, with higher stakes for Albuquerque and Central Avenue, aka Route 66. O'Niell's Irish Pub is located on the east side of the Nob Hill district, which is distinctly … Continue reading Pub opening on Route 66 of Albuquerque