The historic Donnay Building in Oklahoma City soon will undergo extensive renovations and will be renamed Classen Circle as a nod to its historic, Route 66-aligned history. NIck Preftakes and partner Caleb Hill bought the building for $1.5 million last year. The Donnay, originally built in 1949, was added on to over the years in … Continue reading Donnay Building in OKC soon will begin reconstruction, be renamed Classen Circle
Category: Businesses
Gearhead Curios in Galena holds its official ribbon-cutting
Though it's been open for more than a year, Gearhead Curios in downtown Galena, Kansas, held its official ribbon-cutting on Saturday. The ceremony commemorated five years of renovations on the old Texaco site by owner Aaron Perry. Rhys Martin of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association was there when the deed was done: Another set of … Continue reading Gearhead Curios in Galena holds its official ribbon-cutting
It may be days before Tulsa area recovers from widespread power outages due to storms
Tulsa-area officials said it may be "days, not hours" before the region restores electricity after storms rampaged over the weekend. The Tulsa World reported: “We are seeing damage that, when it’s all said and done, may not be quite as bad as the 2007 … ice storm, but it’s going to be close,” Tulsa Mayor … Continue reading It may be days before Tulsa area recovers from widespread power outages due to storms
Sapulpa sees strong business growth after the inaugural Route 66 Christmas Chute
A news release suggests strong business growth seen in recent months in downtown Sapulpa, Oklahoma, might be tied to the enormous publicity and foot traffic from the inaugural Route 66 Christmas Chute during the holiday season. In case you missed it, the Route 66 Christmas Chute in downtown consisted of 35,000 feet of lights, 1,100 … Continue reading Sapulpa sees strong business growth after the inaugural Route 66 Christmas Chute
The fourth edition of the Mother Road Route 66 Passport now is available
Touch Media, the folks behind the Route 66 Navigation app, announced this week the release of the fourth edition of its popular Mother Road Route 66 Passport. This year's edition contains 44 stops along Route 66 where travelers can have their passports stamped. More from the company's news release: The passport, now 82 pages, was … Continue reading The fourth edition of the Mother Road Route 66 Passport now is available
Developer withdraws plans for Route 66 mixed-use project in Tulsa, citing construction costs
A developer that sought to build an ambitious Route 66-themed mixed-use project in Tulsa told the city this week it has withdrawn the proposal, citing a rise in construction costs that made it unfeasible. Sharp Development of Tulsa pulled out of the project this week after the city selected it from four proposals a year … Continue reading Developer withdraws plans for Route 66 mixed-use project in Tulsa, citing construction costs
Buck’s Cosmic Crash Pad in Tulsa will be converted to Buck’s Vintage Shop next month
Buck’s Cosmic Crash Pad, an Airbnb site for three years in Tulsa directly behind Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66, will be converted to Buck’s Vintage Shop in June. Buck's owner Mary Beth Babcock made the announcement in a social media post on Tuesday: In a discussion thread, Babcock said the new venture would offer … Continue reading Buck’s Cosmic Crash Pad in Tulsa will be converted to Buck’s Vintage Shop next month
Campground planned for closed Minnetonka Trading Post site near Winslow
A campground is planned for the site of the long-closed Minnetonka Trading Post along Route 66 east of Winslow, Arizona. Blue Miller, known for her well-researched Never Quite Lost historical blog, passed along the good news about the site on the Historic Route 66 page on Facebook. She wrote: I am pleased to bring you … Continue reading Campground planned for closed Minnetonka Trading Post site near Winslow
Removal of newer facade reveals original front of Pearl Brothers Hardware building in Joplin
In recent weeks, contractors for the new owner of Pearl Bros. Hardware building in downtown Joplin, Missouri, removed the green metal facade that had covered the original front of the building for about 60 years. A reporter for KOAM-TV showed before-and-after images of the work being done by Neal Group Construction: https://youtu.be/WcXfSKLMq68 The story also … Continue reading Removal of newer facade reveals original front of Pearl Brothers Hardware building in Joplin
Forthcoming brewery in Amarillo wants to take advantage of Route 66 tourism
The Old Tascosa Brewing Company wants to open a tap room by mid-April along the historic Sixth Street District in Amarillo, Texas, and capitalize on Route 66 tourism, especially with centennial celebrations leading up to the highway's big year in 2026. Channel 7 in Amarillo published a story about the brewery and the Route 66 … Continue reading Forthcoming brewery in Amarillo wants to take advantage of Route 66 tourism