The Midwest Classics on 66 Car Museum in Wilmington, Illinois, abruptly closed last week less than a year after it opened.
Marian Pavel, one of the developers of the Route 66 Navigation app, posted this on Facebook:
On the museum’s website, this message was posted: “Sorry for the inconvenience, we are closed until further notice.”
I contacted the museum Sunday via its Facebook page. I received this reply:
Hi there yes unfortunately we have had to close down as it wasn’t working out.
It only came about Sunday night and we have been working there preparing the building for sale.
We’re very sorry about this and we’re preparing to let people know in the wider community. We had to advise all the car owners and volunteers first. I thank you for your support and we will be informing people very soon regards Mike and the team at MCO66 my email is
mikebell@mco66.com
The closing came without warning. The museum’s Facebook page listed posts through May 5, including discounts from the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival.
Midwest Classics on 66 was scheduled to open after the July 4 holiday last year. Car enthusiasts Jeff Hubrich and Mike Bell bought the old Ben Franklin building at 706 W. Baltimore St. (aka Route 66) in downtown Wilmington. Hubrich grew up in the Wilmington and Joliet areas, and Bell is from Perth, Australia.
(Image of Midwest Classics on 66 in Wilmington, Illinois, via Facebook)
Sorry to hear this.