About Doc's Just Off 66
Doc's Just Off 66 sits just off Route 66 in downtown Girard, in a building that pharmacists Wyman and Robert Deck opened as a drugstore in 1884. Deck's sold medicine along with paint, glass, books and stationery, and a soda fountain went in during 1929. The fountain, long known as Doc's Soda Fountain, is in the Route 66 Hall of Fame of Illinois.
Steve and Casey Claypool of Chatham bought the building at the end of 2021, renovated it and reopened it in June 2022 under the new name, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and soda fountain menus. Casey Claypool also leads the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway. In April 2026 the owners announced the restaurant was for sale and said it would stay open in the meantime.
The kitchen sticks to diner classics: cheeseburgers, patty melts, grilled cheese, chicken salad, roast beef and fries. The fountain is the reason to come, with floats, shakes, sundaes, phosphates and sodas mixed with cherry, vanilla or chocolate syrup, plus old-fashioned candy. A 1950s-style lounge holds Route 66 memorabilia, some of it from the late 1800s, which makes it a good stop for road-trip history fans and families alike.
Moore Acres Lavender Farm, a young family homestead with a roadside stand selling lavender, oils, balms and fresh eggs, is only about 10 minutes from downtown Girard.
What to do
- Order a phosphate or a cherry soda at the 1929 fountain
- Have a cheeseburger or patty melt for lunch
- Split a sundae or shake
- Look over the Route 66 memorabilia in the lounge
- Buy old-fashioned candy for the road
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open year-round
- Hours
- Mon–Tue and Thu–Sat 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; Wednesday hours differ between listings, so call (2026)
Tips for your visit
- The restaurant was put up for sale in April 2026; call ahead to confirm it is open
- Sunday service ends at 3 p.m.
- Ask about the building's drugstore history and the memorabilia on display
Pair it with a lavender farm
Moore Acres Lavender Farm · about 10 minutes away
Stop at the Moore Acres lavender stand near Girard, then come into town for a shake at Doc's.
Getting there
Questions
How old is Doc's?
The building opened as Deck's drugstore in 1884, and the soda fountain was added in 1929.
Is it on Route 66?
It is just off Route 66 in downtown Girard, hence the name.
Is Doc's still open?
Yes; the owners listed it for sale in April 2026 but said it would stay open in the meantime.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Girard, Illinois: Carlinville and Macoupin County on Route 66
Checked in October 2026 against local tourism and news pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
