Small Business Spotlight: Route 66 Corner Garage Antiques & Collectables
[April 11, 2026]
For five years, Route 66 Corner Garage Antiques & Collectables has been
welcoming collectors and Route 66 tourists from around the globe to
their shop.
Owner and manager Kevin Ritchhart says the building, a former gas
station, will turn 100 this year, along with Route 66. He chose this
location because it reminded him of his father, who owned two gas
stations in Lincoln when he was growing up. The outside of the building
displays numerous vintage signs, gas pumps, and a popular green
dinosaur.
The shop serves as both an antique shop and a museum of sorts as
Ritchhart displays many relics of Lincoln, Route 66, and Logan County’s
past. There are gas cans on display that are 60-70 years old. Some of
the signs and collectables are from familiar names like Illico, Burwell
Oil, and Lincoln Cab Company. Ritchhart receives the greatest
satisfaction seeing the items bring back memories of visitors’
childhood.
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Vendors rent spaces and bring their antiques to sell in the shop. Items
range from cookware, oil lamps, toys, figurines, and glassware.
Ritchhart’s wife has brought in items for a more feminine touch, but
most of the items have a Route 66 theme. Vintage and antique signs are
the hottest items in the garage.
Ritchhart also noted that they have had visitors from all over,
including Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. There is a tour
company in California called Route 66 Down Under that organizes two
tours from New Zealand each year, and visitors stop by the shop. This
afternoon, three visitors from Wisconsin were exploring Route 66 sites.
Ritchhart is excited for this spring and summer, as the shop will host
Boomer’s BBQ each Saturday in April. They will also host two car shows
this summer at Postville Park.
They are looking forward to replacing the Route 66 mural that is on the
side of the building. The update will still feature the popular Route 66
badge sign, but it will be higher on the building and light up at night.
The sign is already a popular photo spot for tourists snapping memories
and locals who use it as a backdrop for senior pictures, prom, or
wedding portraits. This update is made possible by a grant through the
tourism bureau. There will be five murals across Lincoln.
Ritchhart recommends that other potential small business owners do their
research and advertise. They have several signs around town and along
the road that encourage visitors to stop by.
Route 66 Corner Garage and Antiques is open Friday-Monday from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. They are located at 1211 5th Street in Lincoln. For the latest
information about the shop, visit their
Facebook
page.
[Joli Boerma] |
