**Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed the owners of the business and did not identify Danny Gonzales and Kaylee Bowman as owners. The article also misspelled the name of the business. We regret the errors and have corrected the story to reflect the accurate ownership and business name.**
On the corner of Navajo Blvd., and California Street, a familiar building in Holbrook has taken on a new rhythm. Where music and cigarette smoke once lingered, the air now smells like coffee and conversations stretch out over couches instead of bar stools. Route Sixty Sips, located at 466 Navajo Blvd., opened last week after a year and a half of renovations, marking the latest chapter in a building that has lived many lives along Route 66.
Route Sixty Sips is very much a family operation. Husband and wife Robin O’Dell Gonzales and Paul Gonzales, along with their son Danny Gonzales and his wife Kaylee Bowman, own the business together. Danny and Kaylee are constant presences behind the counter making the drinks and running the shop day to day, with Kaylee also serving as shop’s resident baker.
For part-owner Robin O’Dell Gonzales, opening the shop was never just about coffee or custom sodas. It was about opening it with her family, about honoring the past and about giving a long-used space a new purpose that fit the town she grew up in. Her family has been part of Holbrook since the 1940s when her grandparents arrived, with deep ties to local business and community life. Her father, John “JW” O’Dell, came to the area in 1954, and the family had been associated with several businesses in Holbrook history, including Fox’s Appliances.
The idea of starting something together had been talked about for years, particularly between Robin and her brother, Mike O’Dell. When Mike passed away nearly three years ago, that idea took on new weight. Moving forward with Route Sixty Sips became a way to carry on something they had wanted to do together, even though he was no longer there to see it.
The family’s role starts long before the front door unlocks. Robin’s mornings begin around 6 a.m., feeding grandchildren and changing diapers so that Danny and Kaylee can be at the coffee shop early to get ready for customers. By the time customers arrive for their morning drinks, the family’s work has already been underway for hours.
Inside, Route Sixty Sips was designed to feel comfortable rather than hurried. Chairs and couches invite people to sit and stay awhile, and the layout encourages conversation between neighbors who might otherwise just pass each other on the street. The menu focuses on custom sodas and coffee with other drinks and treats, but the atmosphere is just as important as what’s being served.
The building itself required extensive work before it could become that kind of space. Over the years, it has been known by many names. Before Route Sixty Sipps, it most recently operated as Puff and Stuff. Longtime residents remember it as The Winner’s Circle, a biker bar once owned by Penny Penrod. Before that, in Holbrook’s earlier days it served the community as White’s Grocery Store.
When renovations began, remnants of each era were still present. One of the most difficult tasks, JW said, was removing old paneling that had absorbed decades of cigarette smoke during the building’s years as a bar. Even now, traces of that past remain. A keen eye can notice at certain places on the ceiling, pieces of dollar bills are still stapled in place, left behind from the bar days and preserved as a conversation starter.
The family redid electrical and plumbing systems, repaired the roof, and undertook major interior renovations throughout the building. Robin said the year and a half of work required significant time and financial investment, much of it focused on undoing long-standing issues rather than cosmetic changes.
In addition to the drink counter, the shop includes a section called “The Robin’s Nest,” which features second-hand home décor, household items and books. That part of the store reflects Robin’s interest in creating a space that feels personal and lived-in, rather than strictly commercial.
Community involvement was part of the plan long before the doors opened. During the renovation period, Robin and her family organized two food distribution events, handing out 50 boxes of food each time. This was due to the recent stress put on food banks and SNAP recipients. She said giving back was something she wanted to build into the business from the start, not add on later. “I want this place to be a blessing to the community,” Robin said.
Looking ahead, she has ideas for using the space beyond daily coffee service. She has talked about hosting Bunco nights, veteran gatherings and other community-focused events that bring people together. Even ideas like speed-dating nights have crossed her mind as she considers how the shop might continue to serve Holbrook in new ways.
Route Sixty Sips is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays., and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays.
In a town where Route 66 history often lives in memory and photographs, Route Sixty Sips represents a quieter form of renewal. It takes a building that has already lived many lives and adds another chapter, shaped by family, loss, hard work, and a belief that community is built with just one neighborly conversation at a time.
