The POPS convenience store and restaurant, renowned worldwide for offering more than 500 types of soda and its 66-foot-tall LED soda bottle that stands along Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma, quietly changed owners several weeks ago.
US Star Properties LLC of nearby Edmond, Oklahoma, purchased the property on Nov. 19 for $2.22 million, according to Oklahoma County property records. The property’s taxable market value is $2.14 million.
US Star Properties essentially consists of Jessie and Zar Sandhu of Edmond, with Zar listed as the agent for the company in Oklahoma Secretary of State business records.
A phone message left for the Sandhus with a general manager at POPS was not returned. A message for Zar Sandhu on Facebook also was not answered.
An Oklahoma Route 66 advocate who tipped off Route 66 News about the sale expressed concern about POPS’ overall future upkeep after hearing concerning reports and stated in an email: “I’m worried that the new owner will not maintain POPS to the standard that it deserves. POPS is a cultural icon of Route 66. I fear that the place may fall into disrepair and that is bothersome to locals and Route 66 fans alike.”
POPS was the brainchild of Aubrey McClendon, former CEO and chairman of Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy. McClendon established a tree farm in Arcadia, fell in love with the Route 66 village and came up with the idea.
Renowned architect Rand Elliott designed POPS. Route 66 author Michael Wallis was consulted about Route 66 aesthetics.
It opened in 2007 to huge throngs of customers about a year after it broke ground at the former site of a gas station. It continues to be a draw nearly 15 years later.
After McClendon’s death in a fiery vehicle crash in 2016 one day after he was indicted in an alleged bid-rigging scheme, it was a question not if, but when, POPS would be sold.
Tom Blalock, a representative of the McClendon estate, signed over the deed on behalf of POPS Management LLC during the transaction in November.
UPDATE 1/22/2021: Jessie and Zar Sandhu called today to give their side of the story.
Jessie Sandhu maintained that maintenance at POPS had been deferred for several years after McClendon’s death. Jessie and Zar insisted they were spending a substantial amount of money to shore up the property, including replacing the gas pumps.
Jessie also professed his excitement of owning a prominent property on Route 66, especially with the highway’s centennial coming up in 2026.
(Image of POPS in Arcadia, Oklahoma, by Randy Lane via Flickr)
Does US Star have a history of running properties in to the ground? Just curious what the concern is based on….
Agreeing with you, DynoDave! This article offers a veiled suspicion, with claims from neighbors and businesses who are not named nor directly quoted. It is gossip. And sadly on a scoop story, for I have not seen anything else about the sale here locally, (though the news is filled with other things these days!). This aspect of the story, sadly, prevents me from sharing the article in our community. A $2.2 million purchase should indicate an investment that will provide an ROI for the owners to grow one of the most iconic Rte 66 spots in Oklahoma. Why not report the significant sale, without conjecture?
There is major concern because of maintenance requests not completed, There are changes in quality in some areas, reduction of quality vendors, etc. Three tenured employees have recently left, including the long-time manager. 🙁
To be clear, Aubrey’s death and the indictment are unrelated, other than he may have been texting his attorneys at the time. His death was ruled an accident, despite unfounded rumors. He had a propensity of driving fast on the rural roads he often drove and for checking his email while driving. Grounds for the indictment were hatched by executives at Chesapeake once Aubrey gained ground as a competitor. Ironically, he was accused of price-fixing, when in fact he had a history of overpaying for leases, one of the reasons behind his ouster at Chesapeake. As the former CEO of a billion dollar company and owner of vast holdings, such a legal issue was a minor distraction. It’s unfair to his legacy that the two events happened back to back.
Glad you chimed in, Jim. It’s a shame what happened.
Pops was run very well. It can only get worse. This is a sad development.