The County Line Barbecue, a restaurant that counted nearly 80 years off Route 66 in Oklahoma City, has obtained new owners and will reopen as a destination eatery, reported The Oklahoman newspaper.
The County Line closed in 2010. The restaurant, according to the newspaper, was sold to a local investment group, and the restaurateurs have ties to Krebs — a village in southeast Oklahoma that draws visitors from miles around for its Italian food.
Johnston said the new owners and operators appreciate the history of the property and its importance to the city. He said the group wants to play on the property’s history, even rumors that it is haunted.
“They purchased it with the intent to renovate the property and ready it for a new and exciting restaurant concept that will be coming into the area,” Johnston said. “This building is going to be transformed from what it is now. We want to maintain its integrity, but for the purposes we intend, there needs to be some changes.”
The restaurant, until its closing, was listed in the Route 66 Dining and Lodging Guide, published by the National Historic Route 66 Federation.
Here’s the Oklahoman’s video report about the County Line’s sale: