“The Club”

"Route 66: The Mother Road" author Michael Wallis emailed this essay, titled "The Club," on Monday night, just days after the remaining walls of the historic but long-closed Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, were torn down. I commend this to your attention. Below is the essay in its entirety. --- It was a … Continue reading “The Club”

Last of the Club Cafe building comes down

The remains of the storied but long-closed Club Cafe restaurant in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, were torn down Friday, according to reporting by the Guadalupe County Communicator. The newspaper's publisher, M.E. Sprengelmeyer, posted the above photograph on Facebook about midday Friday. We'd cruised by the site a few days before. All the debris was cleared … Continue reading Last of the Club Cafe building comes down

Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens to huge crowds

The long-awaited reopening of Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles last week brought huge crowds in which diners waited an hour to get a meal, according to the Los Angeles Times. Here's short video from opening day via L.A. Weekly: The landmark restaurant, which opened in 1935, underwent an extensive remodeling that took five years … Continue reading Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens to huge crowds

Frontier Motel caretakers resign abruptly

Allen and Stacy (Lynette) Greer, caretakers for the historic Frontier Motel and Restaurant in Truxton, Arizona, resigned their positions Monday evening in a Facebook post by Allen. The post read: Effective immediately, Stacy (Lynette) and I are no longer affiliated with the Frontier Motel and Cafe. We didn't arrive at this decision lightly. We've wrung … Continue reading Frontier Motel caretakers resign abruptly

Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens Thursday

Clifton's Cafeteria, a mainstay in downtown Los Angeles since 1935, will reopen Thursday after a massive renovation that took $14 million and four years. The restaurant was supposed to reopen Sept. 22, but owner Andrew Meieran and its operators decided to delay it a few days after a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Sept. 17 apparently revealed a few kinks … Continue reading Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens Thursday

Hopi Travel Plaza near Holbrook undergoes renovations

The Hopi Travel Plaza, a fixture along Route 66 near Holbrook, Arizona, for nearly 40 years -- partly because of its eye-catching dinosaur statues -- is undergoing much-needed and extensive renovations, according to the Arizona Journal. The plaza's new general manager, Kelly Jarvis, acknowledged to the newspaper the facility was "going down, spiraling desperately out … Continue reading Hopi Travel Plaza near Holbrook undergoes renovations

Tri-County Truck Stop soon will reopen as an auction house

The long-closed Tri-County Truck Stop, aka The Diamonds, along Route 66 in Villa Ridge, Missouri, soon will reopen as The Diamond's Trading Post that will host auctions twice a month. The truck stop, which closed in 2006, is slated to reopen Oct. 2. Naturally, the auction house will have a Route 66 theme. A recent … Continue reading Tri-County Truck Stop soon will reopen as an auction house

Booklet published on life of Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire

A friend of the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire has published a 28-page booklet, "Waldmire: An Artist's Life On Route 66." Springfield, Illinois, artist Bill Crook met Waldmire during the 1970s and wrote the book, according to the Springfield State Journal-Register. "Waldmire" includes reproductions of some of Waldmire's art, some of Crook's art, including … Continue reading Booklet published on life of Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire

Two restaurants for sale in New Mexico

Two restaurants along Route 66 now are for sale in eastern New Mexico. Yvette Peacock recently announced in a Facebook post that the Rockin' Y's Roadhouse in Tucumcari is for sale because she's wanting to retire. More details were released at the Route 66 World website: Rockin’ Ys’ Roadhouse is a successful business on Route … Continue reading Two restaurants for sale in New Mexico

Amarillo’s Blue Front Cafe goes up for sale

The Blue Front Cafe, a breakfast-and-lunch fixture along Amarillo's Sixth Avenue (aka Route 66) for at least 60 years, is being put on the market for $225,000. The restaurant at 801 Southwest Sixth Ave. is listed by the Gaut-Whittenberg-Emerson real-estate firm of Amarillo. According to the listing, the restaurant's roof and gas line were replaced two … Continue reading Amarillo’s Blue Front Cafe goes up for sale