Route 66: PEMCO Gas Station Repurposed - Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios
Posted by: 
gramakitty
N 36° 08.884 W 095° 58.419
15S E 232457 N 4004468
1950s PEMCO Gas Station on Historic Route 66 repurposed as the Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios Shop featuring vintage curios and Route 66 Memorabilia and a 21' Muffler Man statue of Buck Atom Space Cowboy.
Waymark Code: WM10T2K
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 06/19/2019
Views: 7
Route 66 is an iconic highway and a nostalgic part of America's car obsessed past, but after Interstate 40 took over, many of the towns dotting the roadway died. In recent years, an interest in all things vintage is helping buildings and businesses along the original route come back to life. In Tulsa, Oklahoma for example, the architecture firm ElevenTH bought up an old PEMCO (Petroleum Equipment Manufacturing Company) gas station and converted it into their new offices. Retaining the original edifice, adding a green lawn and vintage and recycled decor is helping to reinvigorate the streetscape and placing the firm right in the middle of the action.
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Mary Beth Babcock is a local Tulsa businesswoman who had a dream to create a Route 66 attraction to help revitalize the Mother Road in Tulsa. Her dream came true in 2018 when she opened Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios shop in this former PEMCO Gas Station/Architecture office. She added murals to the back fence and picnic tables beneath the old gas pump awning. The name of this shop came from a Space Cowboy character Mary Beth had created several years ago.
Once the shop opened it didn't take long for her to decide she needed more knowledge about the Mother Road as her customers began asking questions she couldn't answer so she drove from Tulsa to California. She had heard about the Muffler Men statues but seeing them on her trip prompted her desire to install one at the curio shop and what better design than her Buck Atom Space Cowboy. As of May 11, 2019, visitors to the Buck Atom's Cosmic Curio Shop will not only be greeted by the 10' yellow robot at the door, but there in the lot is a 21' Buck Atom Space Cowboy Muffler Man as well.
Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66 is a Tulsa gift shop in the Meadow Gold District that celebrates the magic of Route 66 - Mother Road. Buck Atom is a Space Cowboy whose mission is to help celebrate the Route’s past and bring LIFE to its future! While at Buck Atom’s, explore apparel, jewelry, toys, souvenirs, and more.