Charles Phoenix Bids Adieu to Charcoal Oven and More … I Know!!

by Lynne Rostochil, photos credited below

The sad news of the closing of our cherished Charcoal Oven had one giant silver lining when the one and only Charles Phoenix hopped a plane for one last visit to what he calls the best independent burger sign in the country.  I have to agree:

charcoal-oven-charles-phoenix-sherry-spencer

(Sherry Spencer) 

Charles sponsored a classic car night at Charcoal Oven — check out some of these babies:

14206070_10208857004715872_1472518176937838494_o

(Sherry Spencer)

1dsc_5747

(Lynne Rostochil)

14114773_10208233618570376_1438405652795493764_o

(Bren Johnston)

14188285_10208233620050413_1860564494808598631_o

(Bren Johnston)

14231407_10208233624770531_3109222317758626082_o

(Bren Johnston)

14188678_10208233619610402_6476063197033569468_o

(Bren Johnston)

The belle of the ball was this stunning 1959 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight with all of the bells and whistles, including a removable transistor radio — love!

img_1159

1dsc_5647

1dsc_5671

1dsc_5649

(Lynne Rostochil)

Charles and his pal and tour guide for the weekend, Jim:

14225502_10208643256931367_5658318907743903682_n

(Jim Jordan)

And, of course, I had to get a photo of my bald self and my cute hubby, Chuck, with Charles that also included Jim’s sassy Buick, Endora, and the marvelous Charcoal Oven sign, which Charles rightly calls a national treasure:

1img_1165

(Lynne Rostochil)

More photos of the fun-packed evening, where we met visitors from as far away as Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Dallas, who made the trek to Charcoal Oven to marvel at this iconic time capsule:

1img_1241

dsc_5659

dsc_5705

dsc_5701

1dsc_5727

(Lynne Rostochil)

Another group of six rented a limo and stopped in to relive their high school prom night.  Others just came to behold the glory of the iconic sign…

1dsc_5696

1dsc_5714

1dsc_5717

(Lynne Rostochil)

… stroll around taking in every last detail of the place before it’s gone…

img_1281

img_1276

img_1279

(Lynne Rostochil)

… and enjoy one last Theta burger with onion rings and/or fries:

img_1269

img_1271

(Lynne Rostochil)

Yum!

Go here, here, here, and here to see some of the videos Charles took at Charcoal Oven and other locations around OKC.  Go here to see a video he took while touring the fabulously mod ORU campus in Tulsa.

After a long day of sight seeing, a few Squadders and Charles enjoyed an evening of lounging and lively conversation:

1img_1264

(Lynne Rostochil)

Thank you, Charles, for spending Labor Day weekend with us in Oklahoma and we hope to see you again soon!

If you want to learn more about Charles, go to his very entertaining and colorful website.