2016 Route 66 Road Trip

Meeting Independents Along Route 66 

This past March, I, Renee Changnon, editor for Hardware Retailing, had the opportunity to join Independent We Stand on the Great American Route 66 Road Trip. Our trip began in Oklahoma City and continued until we made it to the end of Route 66 at the Santa Monica Pier.

While this was my second time joining Independent We Stand on one of their annual road trips (the first was in the summer of 2015), I think I gained even more from the experience the second time around.

During the trip, I met several independent hardware and home improvement retailers who all had fascinating stories to tell and all are a big part of the communities they do business in.

Every city we visited had its own unique history, perspective and personality but one thing remained constant among them all–strong communities with support for local businesses.

If you would like to read more about the retailers I met along Route 66, be sure to click the articles below:

Day 1: Local Charm in Oklahoma City

Day 2: A Warm Welcome in Amarillo

Day 3: Local Love in Albuquerque 

Day 4: Independents Thrive in Flagstaff

Day 5: Entrepreneurs Last in Los Angeles

Then, be sure to flip through my road trip experience in this illustrative PDF. You know you want to “get your kicks on Route 66!”