The Shop on Route 66 is a memorabilia shop all about Route 66 in Gardner, IL. The shop is situateed along your trip on the world-famous Route 66. Come in and visit the shop with owner Tom Perkins to find out more about local history and other must stops along the famous highway.
Just sixty miles out of Chicago on Route 66, is a small, quaint town of 1200 people called Gardner, IL. There in Gardner is a little red building known as “The Shop”.
The story goes that now owner Thomas A. Perkins’ grandfather A.W. Perkins was the assistant manager of the town’s lumber yard in 1937 and then purchased it in 1944. While the lumber yard has not been in operation since the seventies, the family still owns the original lumber yard’s office, now known to travelers as “The Shop”.
Thomas A. Perkins purchased it from A.W.’s son and Thomas A.’s uncle, Thomas H. Perkins in 2006. Since then, he has improved it with minor refurbishment, fresh paint and much nostalgia. Come check out this cool little stop of Route 66.
Learn more about us, our history and Gardner, IL, a great stop along the world famous Route 66 on shop's page on The Route 66 Planner and on Tom Perkins page still on The Route 66 Planner. Shop's Facebook page, Tripadvisor page and Trip.com shop's page are also great resources and great places to see all of our visitors.