TULSA, Okla. — William Franklin is thinking of how to grow Route 66’s presence in East Tulsa.
“People are always surprised that we’re here,” Franklin said, “They say, you need to go to Seattle, or somewhere else like that, you know, but we love Tulsa, so we’re staying here.”
WATCH: EAST TULSA: Leaders look for Route 66 growth eastward
Franklin is the owner of Tulsa's Decopolis concepts.
His newest, Tulsarama, recently opened near 11th and Hudson.
“There’s more potential - I think - just because there’s some room to grow, because there’s some big plots of land and stuff over there, so we could really make something super spectacular,” Franklin said.
Franklin is hoping more people will feel inclined to open a shop around the area.
“We’re kind of by ourselves, so I know it’s gonna be tough. We're gonna keep the other location going and we’re just gonna keep plugging away here, until we get enough critical mass to make it really grow and take off,” Franklin said.
Councilor Karen Gilbert spoke with 2 News Oklahoma for this story.
“Route 66 to Tulsa means everything,” Gilbert said.
Franklin, along with Councilors Jackie Dutton and Gilbert, want more folks out East. In fact, the City is attempting to make strides in the area. For a brief moment, there was talk of placing the infamous Crybaby statue out east. Those plans quickly fizzled.
“I don’t know where it’s going to go from here,” Gilbert said, “He’s just looking for a home. I mean, I’m sure he’s crying even harder right now, because he doesn’t have one.”
Oklahoma is home to the nation’s largest stretch of Route 66.
“It’s an iconic highway that is actually one of our busiest thoroughfares,” Gilbert said.
While a few things, like Tulsarama and the Rose Bowl, add to the Mother Road flair, not much else has a Route 66 feel in the area. As Franklin puts it, there’s plenty of room to change that.
“We’re gonna invest our time and our money and our efforts to make this something special so now’s the time to get in there,” Franklin said.
Route 66 centennial celebrations are scheduled for 2026, with thousands of visitors expected.
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