Santa Clarita CA staple Route 66 Classic Grill, is closing

[Dave Wells]

End of the route: Thomas closes "Route 66" doors after decades

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/end-of-the-route-thomas-closes-route-66-doors-after-decades/ar-AA1kRQRU?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=a0803f64c19b446a8f79b1e30dbd1e33&ei=46

 

 

There are replicas of old-school gas pumps, checkered floors, a jukebox and a classic car inside the location so customers could fully dive into the experience while they enjoyed their meals.  

Route 66 Classic Grill wasn’t only known for its food and 1950s theme but also for its community events. In its prime, it became a preferred location to host local events and celebrations — including bike nights, car shows, homecomings for active military members, fundraisers and competitions throughout its 25-year history. 

[JamesR]

Sorry to hear about places like this closing. The '50's was the most famous decade of the 20th century for most of my adult life, but it's gradually fading from America's memory. Not so long ago, there was a place in my city that had pretty young blond waitresses who served food while on roller skates, but it eventually closed. There's still a market for this stuff, though. There's a local chain that has '50's decor, and the last time I was in they still played oldies on the radio, so that's good. Some locations host cruise nights, I think. And of course there's the Sonic chain, which might have a few car related events at some locations, but the chains don't have the charm of the independents.

[Leif in Calif]

Sad to see these go...my favorite was Bill Johnson's Big Apple in Phoenix. Western themed, built 60 odd years ago and probably a throw-back even then. I always ate there when in the area. 

 

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2015/05/24/big-apples-last-day/27887857/

[TAKerry]

The time is right to start a chain of sit down sandwich style restaurants/diners. Have a parking lot full of charging stations. Travelling with an ev, one could take the half hour charge time to have a meal. Kinda like travelling in the old days before a gas stop was at a convenience store.

[JamesR]

11 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Have a parking lot full of charging stations. Travelling with an ev, one could take the half hour charge time to have a meal.

Good idea!

 

Did any of you folks have diners or lunch counters in your local department stores when you were growing up, like where you'd buy clothing or linens or household items and such? Those kind of eating places mostly pre-dated me, but I can remember a couple that still existed when I was a very small child. People who were older than me used to reminisce about them all the time. I think they were more from the '30's or '40's than the 1950's.

[TAKerry]

In our 'big town' we had Newberrys. 2 story department store with a huge staircase right in the middle of the store. They had a lunch counter off to one side. I remember the french fries and hamburger. Went there maybe 3 or 4 times a year and I always got a bag of green army men! Unlike today when I dont think my wife can pass a wallmart without stopping in (not to mention within a 15 mile radius there are at least 4 of them).

[8E45E]

4 hours ago, JamesR said:

Good idea!

 

Did any of you folks have diners or lunch counters in your local department stores when you were growing up, like where you'd buy clothing or linens or household items and such? Those kind of eating places mostly pre-dated me, but I can remember a couple that still existed when I was a very small child. People who were older than me used to reminisce about them all the time. I think they were more from the '30's or '40's than the 1950's.

Kresge's had nice, long lunch counters with a Coke fountain ever 8 feet.  So did Zellers have 'The Skillet' lunch counter.

 

Unfortunately, all we see today is a common fast food restaurant 'chain-within-a-chain' like McDonalds in Wal-Mart.  

 

Craig

[Restorer32]

Ate many a lunch at our local Woolworth's.

[Lahti35]

3 hours ago, TAKerry said:

In our 'big town' we had Newberrys.

 

My grandmother worked at JJ Newberry in the 40's. After she had passed and my family moved to a new location in the late 1990's it turned out our new neighbor had worked there also about the same time. While digging through newspaper articles saved in a family scrapbook I found a newspaper picture from 1948 of the JJ Newberry staff in front of the building... There was my grandmother and our new neighbor in their teens. Grandma worked at the lunch counter for some time before heading off to be a nurse.

Edited December 7, 2023 by Lahti35 (see edit history)

[Walt G]

4 hours ago, Bills Auto Works said:

Woolworths did have small diners in them like what you are describing.

Yes, they did indeed. There was one here in the village that I have lived in my whole life ( and my family since 1924), I remember having food there as a young kid as a treat .  Woolworth was a big name and F.W. Woolworth had an estate on the north shore of long island in Glen Cove  right near Long Island Sound. His chauffeur was given a Cadillac franchise in the 1920s - last name was Paddison - Woolworth got him the franchise because Paddison as his chauffeur took a bullet protecting Woolworth in the  post WWI era. As far as I am aware the original building may be still standing where the dealership was. Guess I should write all this stuff down..................

Edited December 7, 2023 by Walt G (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, Lahti35 said:

My grandmother worked at JJ Newberry in the 40's. After she had passed and my family moved to a new location in the late 1990's it turned out our new neighbor had worked there also about the same time. While digging through newspaper articles saved in a family scrapbook I found a newspaper picture from 1948 of the JJ Newberry staff in front of the building... There was my grandmother and our new neighbor in their teens. Grandma worked at the lunch counter for some time before heading off to be a nurse.

What state was this in. I am in MD. No idea it they were a chain.

[TerryB]

The old saying, eat & get gas!

[Shootey]

3 hours ago, Walt G said:

Woolworth was a big name and F.W. Woolworth had an estate on the north shore of long island in Glen Cove

In San Francisco there was a huge Woolworth store where Powell St. meets Market St. at the cable car turntable. It had a large lunch counter that attracted folks from all walks of life and economic strata. The store was on the ground floor and basement of the historic Flood Building.  The store was closed in the 1980’s  

[8E45E]

7 minutes ago, Shootey said:

It had a large lunch counter that attracted folks from all walks of life and economic strata. 

The Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, NC played a very important part in that in 1960!

 

Craig

[Lahti35]

On 12/7/2023 at 10:59 AM, TAKerry said:

What state was this in. I am in MD. No idea it they were a chain.

Michigan. If it's the same Newberry as JJ Newberry they were a chain started around WWI. The one local to me burned down in the 60's and was never rebuilt. FW Woolworth's was right around the corner from Newberry's and lasted until the 80's when it was demolished to make way for newer businesses. 

[f.f.jones]

 

 

 

More Woolworth's info:     https://www.consumergrouch.com/?p=7112

[TAKerry]

9 hours ago, Lahti35 said:

Michigan. If it's the same Newberry as JJ Newberry they were a chain started around WWI. The one local to me burned down in the 60's and was never rebuilt. FW Woolworth's was right around the corner from Newberry's and lasted until the 80's when it was demolished to make way for newer businesses. 

Yes, most def. JJ Newberry. The one in our town lasted until sometime in the 70's. 

[Shootey]

7 hours ago, f.f.jones said:

 

 

 

More Woolworth's info:     https://www.consumergrouch.com/?p=7112

Who’s’ that unmasked man?

[Paul Dobbin]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:59 AM, TAKerry said:

What state was this in. I am in MD. No idea it they were a chain.

Did you ever see the movie "Cocoon" about older folks discovering the fountain of youth?

The lunch counter scene was filmed in a Woolworths in the Northeast Shopping Center

in St. Peterburg, FL.  (About 4 blocks from our home at the time.)  A fun movie if you

get a chance to stream it.