The Inland Press-Enterprise of Southern California published an excellent article about Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura and his efforts to restore Roy's and the nearly abandoned town of Amboy, Calif. "Everyone who has owned Amboy has been in it to make money," he said. "You can't. "I see this as a marketing avenue … Continue reading Rebuilding Amboy one chicken at a time
Category: Motels
Triangle Motel will receive NPS grant
This may be letting the cat out of the bag, but Marianne Logan e-mailed us tonight to report that the Triangle Motel in Amarillo, Texas, has been awarded a cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program administered by the National Park Service. Marianne Logan is the mother of Alan McNeil, who owns the … Continue reading Triangle Motel will receive NPS grant
Notes from the road
I got a call a few days ago from Bill Kinder, co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., informing me that all of his motel's neon lights have been repaired. The motel's neon (and others along Route 66 in Tucumcari) were damaged this spring by a severe hailstorm. Missouri Route 66er Tonya Pike … Continue reading Notes from the road
El Vado decision delayed
The City of Albuquerque's Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission has deferred a decision on whether to again designate the historic El Vado Motel on Route 66 a city landmark until Sept. 12. The decision was scheduled to be made during the commission's regular meeting on Wednesday. The city has been in negotiations for months with … Continue reading El Vado decision delayed
Aztec Hotel to be refurbished
The Pasadena Star-News reports that the lobby and bar of the historic Aztec Hotel on Route 66 in Monrovia, Calif., will undergo a $100,000 renovation in the coming weeks. That already had been reported here. However, today's story contains more details about a 20-day liquor-license suspension of the hotel's bar, The Brass Elephant. ABC cited … Continue reading Aztec Hotel to be refurbished
Mixed emotions
This news item from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune in Southern California brought on a lot of mixed feelings for me: GLENDORA - Best Western International has expanded its presence in Southern California with a new location in Glendora. With roughly 4,200 hotels companywide, the world's largest hotel chain provides 400,000 travelers with lodging annually … Continue reading Mixed emotions
Searching Oklahoma City for Vietnamese food
Matt Gross, aka The Frugal Traveler, of the New York Times' travel section ventured to Oklahoma City to dine on ... Vietnamese food. That sounds like an odd combination, but Gross points out that 20,000 Vietnamese live in OKC. His excursion found a few Route 66 spots, including the Hospitality Inn (listed in the Route … Continue reading Searching Oklahoma City for Vietnamese food
A self-correcting situation
I saw this story, "Disappearing Fast: Route 66, Chicago-Los Angeles," on the Los Angeles Times' Daily Travel Deal Blog a few days ago, but didn't plug it here because it contained some inaccuracies. The story makes it sound like Route 66 is going to quickly disappear after the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program sunsets in … Continue reading A self-correcting situation
Report from the festival
Brent Weber of KOKH-TV in Oklahoma City interviewed Michael Wallis and Emily at the beautification project for the former Ray's Motel in Clinton, Okla., during the recent National Route 66 Festival.
Back to the beginning for El Vado
After a court ruling struck down the city landmark designation for El Vado Motel in Albuquerque, the matter is back before the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission on July 11 on whether to make the historic Route 66 motel a city landmark to protect it from redevelopment. A judge ruled that the commission didn't adequately … Continue reading Back to the beginning for El Vado