TravelCenters of America will acquire Russell’s Travel Center along Route 66 near Endee, New Mexico, effective Oct. 11, though it will keep the Russell’s name and its museum for a few years.
Russell’s opened in 2010 on the ruins of the long-closed Longhorn II restaurant along Interstate 40 and a 1952-1980 alignment of Route 66. It quickly became a popular stop for both.
You can read the main story at my day job at the Quay County Sun, but here’s the gist:
- Founders Emory and Barbara Russell decided to sell because both are in their 80s. They sold another Russell’s site in Springer, New Mexico, to TA a few months ago.
- In an unusual arrangement, the Russells entered into a five-year lease with TA to keep the museum going at the truck stop. Admission there is free, but donations are given to local food banks. It’s raised more than $460,000 since it opened.
- TA will keep the Russell’s name at the truck stop for three years. It also told the director of operations it plans to keep all its current services and all 68 of its employees.
You can read the Route 66 News report on Russell’s shortly after it opened its Endee location in 2010.
The Longhorn II, owned by Homer Ehresman, opened shortly after nearby Glenrio was bypassed by I-40. Ehresman owned the Texas Longhorn Motel, cafe and service station in Glenrio for many years.
(Image of the museum at Russell’s Travel Center near Endee, New Mexico, by Diann Bayes via Flickr)
Glad to hear the museum will continue, at least for a while. It’s a great place to visit.