Jack Rabbit Trading Post

About

Since 1949, the Jack Rabbit Trading Post has been welcoming travelers along Historic Route 66 near Joseph City. Founder Jim Taylor turned an existing roadside property into a trading post and created one of the Mother Road's most memorable advertising campaigns: a series of roadside signs counted down the miles until motorists finally reached the famous yellow-and-black “HERE IT IS” billboard. A rabbit Taylor transported to Arizona reportedly inspired the business's mascot, and the roadside jackrabbit became an enduring part of the stop's identity. Glenn Blansett leased the business in 1961 and purchased it in 1967; his son Phil and daughter-in-law Pat took over in 1969, followed by their daughter Cindy and her husband Tony Jaquez in 1995. Cindy and Tony continue to operate the trading post today.

Inside, travelers will find Route 66 keepsakes, Jack Rabbit merchandise, novelties and plenty of old-road character, while outside the giant saddled fiberglass jackrabbit and historic billboard remain favorite photo stops. The current fiberglass “Mr. Rabbit” arrived in the 1980s, continuing a mascot tradition that reaches back to the trading post's earliest years. The business also became part of the Route 66 research undertaken by Pixar while developing Cars, helping connect this little Arizona roadside stop with the fictional world of Radiator Springs. After more than seven decades, the Jack Rabbit remains a working family business and a wonderfully intact example of the playful roadside marketing that once convinced motorists to pull off the highway simply because a sign promised: “HERE IT IS.”

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