Ron Chavez, 78, a former owner of the long-closed Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, who later became noted as a writer and poet, died Oct. 15 in Albuquerque, reported the Taos News. His daughter, Sonia Valdez, told the newspaper he died of complications from diabetes and a stroke. The family declined to give … Continue reading Former owner of Club Cafe dies
Category: Restaurants
Fire destroys old A&W building in Carthage
A former A&W Restaurant near Route 66 in Carthage, Missouri, was destroyed by fire late Friday during the city's annual Maple Leaf Festival. After the A&W closed at that location, it became Hartman's Mercantile, a secondhand store. KODE-TV has a report about the fire: The building was at 502 S. Garrison Ave., which is about … Continue reading Fire destroys old A&W building in Carthage
Ariston Cafe put up for sale
The landmark Ariston Cafe, located on old Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois, and owned by the same family for 90 years, has been put up for sale for $1.2 million. The restaurant was listed on an online real-estate site here by Jim Simpson and Shannon Simpson Hall of Century 21 in Litchfield. Ariston co-owner Nick … Continue reading Ariston Cafe put up for sale
A visit to Ollie’s Station
DiscoverOklahoma, which is part of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, recently uploaded this video about Ollie's Station restaurant on the southwest side of Tulsa. https://youtu.be/Yx5wE4sOgi0 As you might guess, the restaurant and its toy trains are a big hit with children. If you go there, don't miss the big train set in the back … Continue reading A visit to Ollie’s Station
A visit to the Ariston Cafe
Continuing with his Genuine Route 66 Life video series, KC Keefer sat down with Paul Adam, a third-generation manager for the historic Ariston Cafe on Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois. This video comes out during the restaurant's 90th anniversary. It started a couple of years before Route 66 existed in Carlinville, Illinois, which wound up … Continue reading A visit to the Ariston Cafe
A visit to Dan’s Bar-B-Que Pit
Oklahoma Living magazine, a publication of electric cooperatives of Oklahoma, recently made this Table Talk video about Dan's Bar-B-Que Pit, which has served hungry folks on Route 66 in Davenport, Oklahoma, for more than 40 years. https://youtu.be/y7LU_ExHlXo Incidentally, the video's host goes by the name of Grant Leatherwood, which is so awesome you'd swear it … Continue reading A visit to Dan’s Bar-B-Que Pit
Unusual ice cream shop opens in Galena next weekend
A new ice cream shop soon will open on Route 66 in downtown Galena, Kansas. But it's not just any ice cream shop. The proprietors of Eye Scream Labs at 606 S. Main St. use liquid nitrogen -- which cools liquids at colder than 300 below zero -- to make their sweet treats right on … Continue reading Unusual ice cream shop opens in Galena next weekend
Johnny Rockets to open four types of Route 66-themed restaurants
The Johnny Rockets restaurant chain plans to open four types of Route 66-themed prototype restaurants -- including drive-ins, food trucks and drive-in theaters -- as soon as this year, according to a news release Monday from the company. The restaurant stated: Established in 1926 as one of America's original highways, Route 66 became the major path … Continue reading Johnny Rockets to open four types of Route 66-themed restaurants
The rebirth of Tulsa’s 11th Street
KTUL-TV in Tulsa recently did this story about the "rebirth" of 11th Street in town, known as Tulsa's Route 66. KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - News, Weather We've dutifully reported about many of these businesses -- including Ike's Chili -- moving to the more-prominent alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa. I was a bit saddened … Continue reading The rebirth of Tulsa’s 11th Street
Annual Cruise-In at The Mill slated for Saturday
The annual Mill Car Cruise-In classic-car show will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the landmark but long-closed Route 66 restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois. The event also serves as a fundraiser in ongoing efforts to preserve The Mill. Geoff Ladd, former leader of Logan County Tourism, a Route 66 Heritage Foundation of … Continue reading Annual Cruise-In at The Mill slated for Saturday