PARKS, AZ (AZFamily) — Stepping into the Parks Old Route 66 Store feels like stepping back in time. Not only for its 50s theme and location on the Mother Road, but also because the store itself is 20 years older than Route 66.

The Parks’ general store, tucked in the pines on Route 66, has been a staple in the community of about 1,500 people since 1906.

Paul Hausmann grew up in Parks, visiting the store and hearing over a century’s worth of stories.

“How they used to sit here and the cowboys used to get drunk and shoot flies on the ceiling,” Paul said. “I used to use the gas pump right out front when I first started driving to fill up my dirt bike for my car. The store is just like the community gathering spot back in the day.”

But the store has gone through many owners, and last yea

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