Soul City restaurant and club closing in Tulsa, moving to suburb

The Soul City Gastropub & Music House along the 11th Street alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa soon will close after six years and later resurface in the suburb of Jenks, Oklahoma. Owners Kevin and Amy Smith announced the impending closure Friday morning on Facebook and the booking of final shows, including a grand finale … Continue reading Soul City restaurant and club closing in Tulsa, moving to suburb

Another Route 66 sign disappears from Grants

I received word Friday from a reader that another sign from a long-defunct Route 66 motel was taken down and hauled away. Here's the email I received from Keith Kofford: Grants lost another Route 66 sign last week (9-10-19) when the Los Alamitos Motel sign was taken. A crew with large equipment was spotted by … Continue reading Another Route 66 sign disappears from Grants

Brookshire Motel sign in Tulsa being sold off piecemeal

The president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association reported parts of the neon sign for the Brookshire Motel in Tulsa were sold off piecemeal to a local collector, and the rest likely will be gone soon. The Brookshire Motel neon sign in 2005 Rhys Martin on late Sunday passed along on Facebook the news he … Continue reading Brookshire Motel sign in Tulsa being sold off piecemeal

A closer look at the new neon coming for Tally’s Good Food Cafe in Tulsa

With the recent story about the restoration and relighting of the neon sign for Billy Ray's BBQ and Catfish in Tulsa, the local newspaper mentioned Tally's Good Food Cafe also had received a grant for new neon on the Route 66 restaurant. Intrigued, I contacted Dennis Whitaker, a planner for the Indian Nations Council of … Continue reading A closer look at the new neon coming for Tally’s Good Food Cafe in Tulsa

Roy’s neon sign in Amboy should be relighted in mid-November

The neon in the iconic Roy's Motel and Cafe sign in Amboy, California, will glow again in mid-November, according to a roadie who contacted the complex's manager. Frank Gifford posted the news on the route66 yahoogroup a few days ago: According to a phone conversation with Roy's manager Manny Lopez, the sign will be re-lit … Continue reading Roy’s neon sign in Amboy should be relighted in mid-November

New Mexico Route 66 Association wades into, then retreats from sign-preservation issue

The New Mexico Route 66 Association on Sept. 5 posted a statement about the thorny issue of historic neon signs disappearing along the highway, particularly in New Mexico, then deleted the post days later. The post, which I'd monitored to read the responses, generated more than 150 comments at last count and plenty of dissatisfaction … Continue reading New Mexico Route 66 Association wades into, then retreats from sign-preservation issue

First neon sign restored with Tulsa Route 66 grant program

The Billy Ray's BBQ and Catfish neon sign glowed again for the first time in years Wednesday evening after city officials threw the switch. The restaurant's sign was the first to complete the city's neon-sign grant program. Here's a video from the scene by KTUL-TV: According to Public Radio Tulsa, the Billy Ray's sign had … Continue reading First neon sign restored with Tulsa Route 66 grant program

Club Cafe signs removed from Santa Rosa

The two remaining neon signs for the long-closed Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, were removed Friday, according to several folks on social media who snapped photos of the dismantling. Daniel Chavez wrote on Facebook on Friday afternoon: So long Club Café neon signs. I’m sure you were a welcoming sight for many travelers … Continue reading Club Cafe signs removed from Santa Rosa

A closer look at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum in Springfield

WSEC-TV, a PBS affiliate in Springfield, Illinois, recently posted a video tour of Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum in Springfield and talked with its enthusiastic owner, Ron Metzger. As you'll see from the 27-minute video, Metzger has collected all sorts of memorabilia from defunct Route 66 landmarks such as Shea's Gas Station Museum, … Continue reading A closer look at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum in Springfield

Grants Cafe sign disappears, reportedly purchased by a collector

The historic Grants Cafe neon sign in Grants, New Mexico, was taken down earlier this month after it reportedly was purchased by a collector. An exact date when the sign was taken down wasn't available, but Sam Fiorella said the sign still was up when she went through town Aug. 9. Blue Miller -- best … Continue reading Grants Cafe sign disappears, reportedly purchased by a collector