Pops still fizzes
The iconic Route 66 throwback has new owners
ARCADIA—Pops, which gave the l ate Aubrey M cC len don—and people the world over — food, fuel, fizz and kicks on Route 66, is in the hands of new owners.
US Star Properties LLC — Jessie and Zar Sandhu, who live west of Edmond — paid $ 2.22 million for the combo convenience store, restaurant and "Soda Ranch," which sells hundreds of obscure and hard-to-find brands of soda pop, at 660 W State Highway 66 in Arcadia.
The gist of the place, with its distinctive cantilever truss extending over the gas pumps and part of the parking area, is announced by an iconic, towering ,66- foottall LED pop bottle visible from the distance. Oklahoma City architect Rand Ell i ott designed Pops.
The seller was Pops LP, which belonged to M cC len don' s estate. McClendon, co-founder, CEO and chairman of Chesapeake Energy Corp., died at 56 in an automobile crash in Oklahoma City on March 2, 2016, the day after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring in a bid rigging scheme in the purchase ofoi land natura lg as lease sin northwest Oklahoma.
Mc Clendon, who was part - owner of t he Oklahoma City Thunder, had left Chesapeake and founded American Energy Partners LP, which he led as CEO at the time of his death. His life interests were wide and varied. He opened Pops in 2007, the giant pop bottle a roadside attraction perfect for the historic Mother Road.
The new owners told the blog www.Route66News.com that" they were spending a substantial amount of money to shore up the property, including replacing the gas pumps" and professed "excitement of owning a prominent property on Route 66, especially with the highway's centennial coming up in 2026."
Jessie Sandhu, who has other real estate investments, said Wednesday he considers Pops a "landmark."
"It's an i conic place," he said, and a familyfriendly place, with good food, as well as bottles and bottles and bottles of ... Pops ." I' m like a kid. I love being a part of that."