One amazing stop along Route 66 is The Rock Cafe! Dawn Welch is the proprietor. She and her best friend, Beverly, create a fun, family atmosphere for regulars and travelers alike. Dawn’s first job was on a cruise ship, so she has a world-wide repertoire of recipes on her menu. She said, “Cooking makes me feel empowered.” Beverly commented, “It’s good food with a little attitude.”

Beverly calls Dawn, “Olive Oil.” Dawn says Beverly is “a spitfire.”

Dawn has shown care for her community by hiring family teams: parents and their teenagers.

Disney producers were inspired by Dawn Welch. Her hardworking, NO non-sense attitude charmed them. The Disney duo created the character Sally based on Dawn. Sally is the blue Porsche attorney in the 2006 Disney movie, “Cars.”

The History of The Rock Cafe

Roy Rives started the process of building The Rock Cafe in 1936 by pouring the concrete foundation by wheelbarrow. He hired high school students as his crew. The rocks came from leftover piles created by the construction of Route 66. It is said that his entire rock supply was purchased for five dollars. Roy opened the doors in August of 1939.

Roy Rives’ business was successful even through the rationing during World War II. Travelers and GI’s flocked to The Rock Cafe for affordable food and quenching drinks as the restaurant had doubled as a Greyhound Bus stop.

In the late 1940’s the ‘modern’ neon sign was added beckoning tourists inside for meals anytime day or night. The restaurant was open 24 hours!

A new expressway was being built in the mid 1980’s, bypassing the businesses in the small towns along Route 66. However, the Rock Cafe remained steadfast even with the decommissioning of Route 66.

In 1993 the new owners surveyed the extensive upgrades needed to keep the restaurant up to code. It was an overwhelmingly slow process. Then, a tornado struck Stroud, Oklahoma in 1999 which devastated the local economy.

The owners held hope and received a cost share grant from the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program in 2001. With the original floor plans in hand, they remodeled the entire interior. The exterior was made new as well. The rocks were repaired to their original glory.

Dawn persevered when a fire devastated the property in 2008. Within a year, after meticulous work, the cafe reopened again. Currently the hours are 7:00 am – 8:00 pm daily with the restaurant being closed on Sundays and Mondays. It’s a must see! So plan better than we did. We had arrived in Stroud, Oklahoma on a Monday, so unfortunately The Rock Cafe was closed.

The Stroud Hardware Store

Before we left town we wanted to pick up spray paint for our next stop, The Cadillac Ranch. So we headed to the hardware store where Ranger, the dog, greets everyone at the door.

The cat lazily stretched on a chair near the window. I felt like I’d walk back into the 1950’s. Aisles of tools were managed by family pets. It was charming!

Ranger, not only lives along Route 66, but gets a kick out of eating suckers! His person said I could indulge Ranger with a lollipop.

It’s the people and animals we meet that make lasting memories from our road trips! Stay tuned for the Cadillac Ranch article!

Resources