Pops (restaurant)
Pops restaurant in Arcadia, Oklahoma is a modern roadside attraction on Route 66. Using a theme of soda pop, it is marked by a giant neon sign in the shape of a soda pop bottle. The glass walls of the restaurant are decorated with shelves of soda pop bottles, arranged by beverage color. These bottles are for sale as-is, or may be purchased cold from the huge refrigerator at the western end.
| Pops | |
|---|---|
 The cantilever roof extending over the forecourt. | |
  Location within Oklahoma | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | August 6, 2007 |
| Owner(s) | Jesse & Zar Sandhu |
| Previous owner(s) | Aubrey McClendon |
| Food type | American |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 660 W. Route 66 |
| City | Arcadia |
| County | Oklahoma County |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Coordinates | 35.658608°N 97.335134°W |
| Other locations | |
| Website | pops66 |
| Pops "Giant Soda Bottle" | |
|---|---|
 Pops roadside sign | |
| Type | Roadside attraction |
| Location | Arcadia, Oklahoma |
| Height | 66 feet (20 m) |
| Built | 2007 |
| Architect | Rand Elliott |
| Website | route66 |
History
Opened in 2007, the restaurant's structure incorporates a cantilevered truss extending 100 feet over the gas pumps and parking area in the forecourt.[2]
The roadside sign is 66 feet tall[3] and weighs 4 tons. The height is a reference to the historic highway beside which it is situated. Although apparently constructed from neon tubes, it is actually lit by LEDs, which provide a spectacular light show each night.
The establishment was owned by the late Oklahoman oil and gas magnate Aubrey McClendon and was designed by the noted architecture firm Elliott + Associates Architects. Pops has won several architectural awards.[4][5]
In 2011 two Pops gift shop locations opened in the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.[6] In 2016 another Pops was opened in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma incorporating the idea of the original location, but with a modern design. Although the glass walls were also decorated with shelves of bottles, arranged by color, bottles were only for sale from the refrigerator. Unlike the first location, this location also featured a wide variety of candy and sweets. The Nichols Hills location closed in December 2018.[7]
Over 700 different types of soda pop bottles line the walls, many of which are rare or otherwise difficult to obtain and are available for purchase.[8]
Gallery
Bottle Wall at Pops in Arcadia from the outside
Pops in Arcadia interior
Bottle Wall at Pops in Arcadia
Bottle sculpture outside Pops
Bottle sculpture lit up at night- Pops cantilever in Arcadia
References
- Backus, Stephanie (9 February 2015). "POPS and Provision Kitchen opening in Nichols Hills". KOKO 5 Oklahoma. Ohio/Oklahoma Hearst Television Inc. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- "Catch the sites on Route 66 – Pops, Arcadia OK". Mid-Century Style Magazine. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
- Ashley (2023-03-29). "You Wouldn't Expect Some Of The Best Bread Pudding In Oklahoma To Be From A Gas Station, But It Is". OnlyInYourState®. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
- "Gas Station has World's Largest Pop Bottle". Roadside America. 15 July 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- "Elliot and Associates Architects/Portfolio/Pops". Retrieved 6 June 2012.
- Palmer, Jennifer (1 December 2011). "Will Rogers World Airport unveils shops including POPS, EA SPORTS". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- "Pops location in Nichols Hills closes". KFOR. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- Bhatia, Aunindita (2022-05-22). "These Iconic Stops Along Route 66 Are Worth Checking Out". TheTravel. Retrieved 2023-04-11.