The 473 Bar, in a repurposed 1929 Phillips 66 gas station in Tulsa, will host its grand opening Saturday with lawn games, music, food trucks and its ever-present locally based beverages.
The bar, also known as Four. Seven. Three., at 2224 E. Admiral Blvd., takes its name from the fact it was built as Phillips 66 station No. 473. It reopened April 11 in Tulsa’s Kendall-Whittier neighborhood, where an original stretch of Route 66 traverses.
I asked Nikita Layson, who owns the business with her husband Andrew, about it. She responded in an email:
It took just over a year to completely renovate the space, in addition to adding an extension on the backside of the building. The history of the building alone made us renovate rather than start from scratch. It’s a great structure with great bones and a strong history, so we decided to fix it up and bring it into the present with us.
We honestly invested into Kendall-Whittier mainly because of our neighbors, Heirloom Rustic Ales. We fell in love with this brewery and the wonderful people who own and run it. We immediately felt like Kendall-Whittier was more than just a neighborhood. It’s a family made up of local businesses and people who support each other. The best way we could contribute was to bring another business into the area and show the people of Tulsa what KDub is all about.
Our long term plans are to continue to root and grow in Kendall-Whittier. We built a stage in the backyard with the goal of showcasing local and national musicians, as well as local breweries and distillers. It’s a large space that’s dog friendly, music friendly, and allows people to socialize with one another in a laid back environment (with delicious beverages).
Here’s a “before” picture of the gas station before the Laysons took it over:
There a bit of a debate whether the bar sits on an alignment of Route 66. Most researchers say Route 66 went east-west on Second Street in that neighborhood. A few claim it was on Admiral Boulevard.
Regardless, 473 Bar sits just a block or two from Lewis Avenue, also a Route 66 alignment. No one but hard-core purists probably would care about the argument.
You also can follow 473 Bar on its Facebook page.
A lot of Route 66 enthusiasts, especially in recent years, have envied Tulsa over it embracing its Route 66 heritage. The key, I think, is Route 66-related business has happened organically, without much corporate help. This has made Tulsa more distinctive in its Route 66 corridor. 473 Bar is a good example of that.
(Images of 473 Bar building courtesy of Rhys Martin)
Sorry to rain on the parade, but as a historian I have to say that the only evidence supporting this as 66 alignment is supposition. I have been contacted many times over the years by those seeking to place it there, but the evidence simply does not fit.
I concur with your assessment, Jim.