Today, the Washington Missourian provided a bit more clarity about what’s happening to the closed Red Cedar Inn restaurant along Route 66 in Pacific, Mo.
According to the newspaper, owner Jim Smith is turning it into the Historic Red Cedar Business Center. He’s moving his real estate office in there, and other tenants will eventually follow.
He says changing the primary use of the building will not alter the original appearance of the structure. Only the empty kitchen area will be changed.
“I can tell you that the integrity of the interior of the building will be maintained,” Smith said. “The bar will remain exactly as it is and will be used as a break room.” […]
“We reached a point where we had to do some renovations to the building,” Smith said. “We have some plans for the business center, but we’re not ready to reveal all of them yet.”
The Red Cedar Inn operated as a restaurant and tavern for more than 70 years until it closed abruptly in 2007. The City of Pacific once held an option to buy the building and convert it into a local museum, but those plans fell through.
Old motels and restaurants on Route 66 have been adapted into new uses before, including the Nob Hill Motel in Albuquerque.