Mother’s Brewing Co. owner honored for Route 66 support

Mother’s Brewing Co. founder and owner Jeff Schrag on Saturday received the John T. Woodruff Award for his support and promotion of Route 66 in the Queen City.

Schrag was honored during the annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival held in downtown Springfield. Video of the ceremony is available online.

“The Woodruff Award is presented to somebody that is a great supporter and encourager of Route 66,” Birthplace of Route 66 Festival co-founder David Eslick said. “Each one of of those people that have received that award for these last eight years have been somebody that’s been important for Route 66.”

The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival helped promote the opening of Mother’s Brewing Co. in 2011. On College Street downtown in the former Holsum Bread building, myriad Route 66 travelers from across the country stop in at Mother’s, according to a news release.

Woodruff, according to the release, helped number Route 66, built the city’s first skyscraper, the Woodruff Building, and was responsible for Frisco Shops, which is said to be the largest maintenance shops for railroads west of the Mississippi River.

Schrag said he was honored to be included in the same company as Woodruff, who he said “epitomizes entrepreneurship in the Ozarks and in Springfield.”

“He built buildings on the square, worked for lots of developments in the community and of course brought a very important thing to Springfield, Missouri, which was Route 66.”

Schrag joins a list of John T. Woodruff Award honorees that includes festival co-founder and Downtown Springfield Association Executive Director Rusty Worley; Elliott Lodging owner Gordon Elliott; and Bud’s Tire & Wheel owner Bud Perry, according to the release.

“On behalf of the 25 employees of Mother’s Brewing Co. and behalf of the tens of thousands of drinkers of Mother’s beer in the Ozarks, we’re just really pleased to receive this award. We’re pleased to be located on historic Route 66,” Schrag said. “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much and keep drinking Mother’s beer.”