Red Cedar Inn may be converted into museum

Personally, I'd rather have the Red Cedar Inn in Pacific, Mo., which closed in March 2005 and remains for sale, reopen as a restaurant. But this story from the Tri-County Journal indicates that the city is considering another option: Pacific officials are eyeing a longtime Route 66 landmark as a potential new home for the … Continue reading Red Cedar Inn may be converted into museum

Light and motion

I've posted this video of the animated neon rotosphere on top of El Comedor restaurant in Moriarty, N.M., on Route 66 simply because I liked it. Travel blogger Ace Jackelope posted it on YouTube yesterday for a future news item. On a related note, Debra Jane Seltzer of the terrific Roadside Architecture site informs us … Continue reading Light and motion

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

Hillbillee’s closes

While passing through Arcadia, Okla., on Tuesday to go to POPS, we learned that Hillbillee's, a colorful restaurant and bed-and-breakfast on Route 66 in Arcadia since 1993, had closed on Aug. 2. "We decided to retire," said Norma Braxton, former co-owner of the establishment with her husband, Wade. "It's bittersweet for us, but we're just … Continue reading Hillbillee’s closes

Food Network has a hanging chad problem

Rory Schepisi is readying her Boot Hill Saloon & Grill on Route 66 in Vega, Texas, for opening this weekend. It will be fully operational for food service at 4 p.m. Saturday, with a dance at 10 p.m. with music by Blue Steel. But equally newsworthy is that according to the Second Helpings blog, the … Continue reading Food Network has a hanging chad problem

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

White Dog Hill is open

Longtime roadie Mark Potter told the Route 66 yahoogroup that White Dog Hill restaurant in Clinton, Okla., opened for regular hours on Aug. 1. Potter said: Currently, the restaurant is serving a simple menu choice of either a bacon cheeseburger or ribeye steak, either coming with a dinner salad and summer vegtables, along with a … Continue reading White Dog Hill is open

The freedom to be stupid

I never thought a restaurant would be this dumb to want to alienate potential customers. But here it is, straight from the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff: Over the last two weeks, Crazy Bill's Saloon and Steak House has put up two messages on its marquee facing Route 66 that have prompted some residents to … Continue reading The freedom to be stupid

Route 66 restaurant to be featured on Food Network

The Cafe on the Route, based on Route 66 in Baxter Springs, Kan., will be paid a visit tomorrow by a film crew from the Food Network for an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," reports the News-Record of nearby Miami, Okla. The segment shot at Café on the Route should be shown in a … Continue reading Route 66 restaurant to be featured on Food Network