Pops

POPS proves that Route 66 roadside architecture did not end with neon motels and filling stations. Opened in 2007, the glass-and-steel complex pairs a diner, store, and fuel stop with a 66-foot soda-bottle sculpture wrapped in color-changing LEDs. Step back first for the bottle and the building’s long red-rock wall, then look through the glass at rows of soft-drink bottles that turn merchandise into the interior design. The number 66 is deliberate, but the place works because it serves the road as well as photographs it: fuel, food, cold drinks, and a bright nighttime beacon. Oklahoma’s official tourism listing currently gives store hours of 6:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., restaurant hours of 10:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. daily, and weekend breakfast 7:00–10:30 a.m.; check the business for changes before arriving. Purchases and dining are optional, crowds can be heavy, and the best exterior color arrives after dark. Use the lot, watch for pedestrians at the highway entrance, and keep photo sessions out of traffic and fuel lanes. More

POPS proves that Route 66 roadside architecture did not end with neon motels and filling stations. Opened in 2007, the glass-and-steel complex pairs a diner, store, and fuel stop with a 66-foot soda-bottle sculpture wrapped in color-changing LEDs. Step back first for the bottle and the building’s long red-rock wall, then look through the glass at rows of soft-drink bottles that turn merchandise into the interior design. The number 66 is deliberate, but the place works because it serves the road as well as photographs it: fuel, food, cold drinks, and a bright nighttime beacon. Oklahoma’s official tourism listing currently gives store hours of 6:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., restaurant hours of 10:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. daily, and weekend breakfast 7:00–10:30 a.m.; check the business for changes before arriving. Purchases and dining are optional, crowds can be heavy, and the best exterior color arrives after dark. Use the lot, watch for pedestrians at the highway entrance, and keep photo sessions out of traffic and fuel lanes. More