Budville Trading Company
Budville Trading Company
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Along a derelict stretch of Route 66 sits the Budville Trading Company, a shuttered building in Radiator Springs. The trading post once offered everything a traveler could want on the road, from gas to groceries and even a motel.
History
In 1928, Bud Rice and his wife Flossie opened a gas station and garage along Route 66, just two years after the historic highway was completed. Originally named "Bud's Service Station," it quickly evolved from a small business to a franchise of services catering to highway travelers. Renamed the Budville Trading Company, Bud and Flossie Rice expanded their offerings to include a grocery store, trading post, auto repair shop, and wrecking service. Over time, the small community that developed around the station became known as Budville, in honor of its most prominent resident. After 66 years of serving travelers on Route 66, Budville Trading Post officially closed its doors as the new highway, I-40, threatened to divert traffic away from the area. Despite changing ownership multiple times throughout the years, Budville Trading Post remains abandoned. Today, Budville stands as a ghost town, and the building remains closed in Radiator Springs.
Gallery
Trivia
- When the construction of the new highway, I-40, posed a threat to redirect traffic away from the trading post, Bud successfully persuaded highway officials to adjust the exit to lead directly towards Budville.
- In 2006, one of many owners tried to open the Trading Company again, but that was unsuccessful, and the Trading Post is now abandoned.
References
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This article is part of Project 66, a PCW project that aims to document the history and geography of Route 66 as it relates to the world of Cars. |
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