Betty Wheatley and the late Allen Threatt Sr. were inducted Saturday into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton. Wheatley owned the Dairy Ranch Drive-In in Afton, Oklahoma, for more than four decades. Threatt founded the Threatt Filling Station, one of the few Black-owned … Continue reading Betty Wheatley, Allen Threatt Sr. inducted into Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Category: Restaurants
Hi-Way Cafe near Vinita lands $40,000 grant from National Trust program
The Hi-Way Cafe near Vinita, Oklahoma, was one of 25 restaurants to receive $40,000 from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Launched in 2021, last year 25 small historic restaurants across the country each received a $40,000 grant to improve, upgrade, and preserve their exterior physical spaces and online … Continue reading Hi-Way Cafe near Vinita lands $40,000 grant from National Trust program
A dive into the history of the defunct Rock City Cafe in Eureka
A YouTube channel called Gateway Explorer recently dove into the history of the Rock City Cafe that once stood along Route 66 in Eureka, Missouri. https://youtu.be/Lp_7uO02pIU The channel describes the video: Located at (38.5054260, -90.6151620), the Rock City Cafe was built in 1933 by Ed LaMar on a hill at the edge of Times Beach … Continue reading A dive into the history of the defunct Rock City Cafe in Eureka
Fundraising campaign launched to repaint Road Runner’s Retreat neon sign near Chambless
The owner and advocates for the long-closed Road Runner's Retreat restaurant near Chambless, California, have launched an online fundraiser to repaint its neon sign. Those who donate $35 or more to the effort through GoFundMe.com will receive a T-shirt and a reproduction bumper sticker from the 1960s when the restaurant still was in operation along … Continue reading Fundraising campaign launched to repaint Road Runner’s Retreat neon sign near Chambless
Swadley’s Bar-B-Q countersuit allegedly implicates Oklahoma governor, Pinnell
Swadley's Bar-B-Q last week filed a countersuit, alleging the governor and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who leads the state's tourism department, knew of the arrangement where the restaurant chain spent millions of dollars in inflated reimbursement invoices to upgrade services at several state parks. The Oklahoman newspaper reported some details about the countersuit: Among the claims … Continue reading Swadley’s Bar-B-Q countersuit allegedly implicates Oklahoma governor, Pinnell
Route 66 Association of Missouri’s Motor Tour includes an exclusive tour of Red Cedar Inn
The Route 66 Association of Missouri's annual Motor Tour in September will include an exclusive tour of the Red Cedar Inn building in Pacific, Missouri, that's being converted into a Route 66 visitors center, museum and genealogy site. "They are almost finished and we are going to be the first people to see the completed … Continue reading Route 66 Association of Missouri’s Motor Tour includes an exclusive tour of Red Cedar Inn
Doc’s Just Off 66 in Girard, formerly Doc’s Soda Fountain, opens to the public
Doc's Just Off 66, formerly Doc's Soda Fountain in downtown Girard, Illinois, opened to the public a few days ago after an ownership change, extensive remodeling and forming new menus. The owners held a "super" soft opening on Saturday, then posted their menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and soda-fountain treats on Facebook shortly after … Continue reading Doc’s Just Off 66 in Girard, formerly Doc’s Soda Fountain, opens to the public
Brewery to convert historic OKC armory building into hotel, restaurant, events center
COOP Ale Works bought the historic armory building on Oklahoma City's 23rd Street corridor for $1.3 million and will convert it into a brewery, hotel, events center and restaurant. The Oklahoman newspaper reported the purchase included five adjacent buildings: The former Veterans Affairs building to the east will be converted into 12 villas with a basement … Continue reading Brewery to convert historic OKC armory building into hotel, restaurant, events center
Woody’s Wood-Fire Pizza in Joplin lands a new owner
A new owner has taken over Woody's Wood Fire Pizza Bar & Oven on the west side of Joplin, Missouri, and he's a fellow who owns two other restaurants in Joplin. Joplin Globe columnist Wally Kennedy reports Pete and Heidi Williams, who owned Woody's for more than 20 years, sold it to Damien Tiregol, owner … Continue reading Woody’s Wood-Fire Pizza in Joplin lands a new owner
Crash destroys hot dog business for Arizona man after Route 66 charity trip
A man from Arizona lost his mobile hot-dog business when a traffic accident destroyed it. According to Fox 10 in Phoenix, Richie Vaia, owner of Richie V's Chicago Dogs in Chandler, Arizona, had handed out free Chicago hot dogs along Route 66 as part of a plan to raise awareness for mental health. The trip … Continue reading Crash destroys hot dog business for Arizona man after Route 66 charity trip