Soul City restaurant and club closing in Tulsa, moving to suburb

The Soul City Gastropub & Music House along the 11th Street alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa soon will close after six years and later resurface in the suburb of Jenks, Oklahoma. Owners Kevin and Amy Smith announced the impending closure Friday morning on Facebook and the booking of final shows, including a grand finale … Continue reading Soul City restaurant and club closing in Tulsa, moving to suburb

Drive-through demolished at Gold Dome of Oklahoma City

Work crews this week razed the drive-through portion of the historic Gold Dome in Oklahoma City, but the situation is not as grave as you might think. Several media outlets reported the drive-through part of the former bank along Route 66 is not historic and actually was hampering efforts to secure and market the property. … Continue reading Drive-through demolished at Gold Dome of Oklahoma City

Roy’s neon sign in Amboy should be relighted in mid-November

The neon in the iconic Roy's Motel and Cafe sign in Amboy, California, will glow again in mid-November, according to a roadie who contacted the complex's manager. Frank Gifford posted the news on the route66 yahoogroup a few days ago: According to a phone conversation with Roy's manager Manny Lopez, the sign will be re-lit … Continue reading Roy’s neon sign in Amboy should be relighted in mid-November

Elbow Inn operators lose lease; owners will restore look to 1950s

Some good news and bad news emerged this week about the Elbow Inn in Devil's Elbow, Missouri. First, the bad news. The operators of the barbecue restaurant and tavern since 2006 stated in a Facebook post Thursday the owners gave them notice they "would like to take the place in a different direction" and that … Continue reading Elbow Inn operators lose lease; owners will restore look to 1950s

First neon sign restored with Tulsa Route 66 grant program

The Billy Ray's BBQ and Catfish neon sign glowed again for the first time in years Wednesday evening after city officials threw the switch. The restaurant's sign was the first to complete the city's neon-sign grant program. Here's a video from the scene by KTUL-TV: According to Public Radio Tulsa, the Billy Ray's sign had … Continue reading First neon sign restored with Tulsa Route 66 grant program

Route 66 auto museum planned for former Monrovia Market building

The Development Review Committee of the city of Monrovia, California, last week approved a proposal to reuse the former Monrovia Market building as a Route 66 automotive museum and special event center. Artist's rendering of adapted Monrovia Market building. The proposal advances to the city's Planning Commission on Sept. 11. The building is at 525 … Continue reading Route 66 auto museum planned for former Monrovia Market building

A closer look at Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla

The Phelps County Focus newspaper recently published a nice profile of the owners of the Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla, Missouri. The Totem Pole proclaims itself the longest-running Route 66 business in Missouri. It dates to 1933, when the business was further east, closer to the ghost town of Arlington, Missouri, although one of … Continue reading A closer look at Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla

Old barn converted into vinyl record store found in Route 66 side trip

Here's a little side trip from Route 66 in southwest Missouri that's probably worth taking: a barn that's been converted into a shop for new and used vinyl records. The place is called Vintage Vinyl Purveyor, on the northeast side of Joplin. It's also close to the fellow Route 66 towns of Carterville and Carthage. … Continue reading Old barn converted into vinyl record store found in Route 66 side trip

Owners of Painted Desert Trading Post close access until mid-October

The owners of the long-closed Painted Desert Trading Post in eastern Arizona temporarily have closed access to the historic Route 66 site because the locks and chain the entrance gates recently were removed. Jim Ross, one of the members of the Route 66 Co-op that purchased the property last year, wrote Friday on Facebook: I … Continue reading Owners of Painted Desert Trading Post close access until mid-October

Route 66 business owners in Tulsa brace for street work

A significant part of Route 66 in Tulsa will undergo major renovations this fall, and several business owners along it have voiced concerns about the effect the eight-month project will have. The Meadow Gold sign in 2009, which is a part of 11th Street in Tulsa between Peoria Avenue and Utica Avenue. KTUL in Tulsa … Continue reading Route 66 business owners in Tulsa brace for street work