Meet Leia Clark | Jack’s 66 Pit Stop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leia Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leia, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for our business might also fall under the “work/life balance” question. The hardest part of our story is where to start … we will celebrate our 20th anniversary and grand opening on Sept 29th, 2023. We are both at the beginning and the end, this life and this business is our comeback story.

The Clark family started out the way many young families do, we got married, we bought a house, we had a baby, I went to college, we took on debt. Back then Jack was a mechanic who learned from his grandfather living on Route 66 in Arizona. I was a web developer who started a small business offering media services. Jack went on to drive heavy tow trucks like his grandfather. We did well until I started to become ill and suffered a brain aneurysm rupture (subarachnoid hemorrhage) in 2016. We suddenly had only one income and my physical and special needs in addition to our son who had been diagnosed with Autism. We also knew with a brain injury I would likely not be able to return to the type of work I did before, certainly not at the quality I had before. We needed to get out of the city and decided to move out of Florida and return home to Arizona.

Our first attempt was an off grid ranch in Wikieup, there were plans for RV Spots and gardens, animals and homemade goods. It was beautiful but we discovered I needed multiple additional surgeries and that business plan didn’t even get off the ground. We moved to Kingman where there was more help. Our goal became finding medical resources and assistance traveling back and forth to Barrow Neurological Center in Phoenix, AZ. Currently they might want to add a third stent, it will be my ninth surgery. So I guess, when you have nothing to lose, “why?” turns into “why not?” I don’t know but we started to live for ourselves, what would I do if I could do anything?

Jack moved from towing to driving HAZMAT for Ferrellgas, we were slowly catching up and getting opportunities. His route was always Route 66 from Topock to Flagstaff and nearby areas. He thought about and talked to his (angel) grandfather constantly, so when the old motel/gas station that was next door to the one his grandpa Paul owned came up for sale, it was a no brainer that we were going to try. We didn’t have any reason to think it was possible but we found support and we made it possible. There is so much work here, we are not investors or developers, we are just a forth generation 66 family who loves it here and would love to do work we love. Plans are being made in real time now, but we also have the experience from our other projects to build on. We will start with a propane distributor, and my son will work in energy right where his father, grandfather and great grandfather also did. Then we want to add a family and vintage model friendly RV Park and Campground, maybe with mini Drive-In movies and concessions. There will be a gift shop (online soon), an event venue, a hotel room or two. Maybe a soda fountain, maybe a food truck, the possibilities are endless and may be slow, but if we love it, and people love it, we know we will make it!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I don’t know how to define any of our positions yet and I expect them to evolve with the business. I used to be a professional, I had a degree and a long standing business before my brain hemorrhage, but now my skills are different. I want to be more personable, more artistic, more involved. I learned we all need balance, not just in ourselves but with each other. I will need to earn my place at “66 Pit Stop” but for now I’m just trying to nurture my son and his father, to support them and guide them with whatever I still know. We learned life can change direction in an instant, and if you want something you should go for it, sometimes it won’t work but sometimes it really does.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting … I would take them on a Route 66 trip of course. We would go to Holbrook and see the Jack Rabbit Trading Post, then to Winslow, Flagstaff, and Williams where we take the train to the Grand Canyon and back. Then on to Seligman which is always a good time and then our stretch of Historic Route 66 where we will hit Grand Canyon Caverns for cave tours and maybe to stay in that awesome underground suite, then Peach Springs for authentic fry bread tacos (Hualaipai Tacos!) and we would see Grandpa’s old building the Osterman station, which they lived behind in the 70’s. Then on to Truxton where we stop and check how renovations are coming on Jack’s 66 Pit Stop 🙂 on the way to Kingman we see Valentine Station and the 76 Station which we hear is opening a restaurant, then Hackberry General Store and Antares Point Vistors center where we hit Pierce Ferry road to Grand Canyon WEST and go out on the Skywalk! Then back to 66 on to Kingman, where there are great antique stores and we see Mr D’z and Canadamart – also stations Jack’s grandfather worked out of. I would probably stay at the Arizona Inn and then hit Oatman and Topock66 to soak up some sun. What a great trip that would be!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Arizona. All of them. There were so many people that showed up during our struggles and we can’t wait for them to join us at our victory table one day. We have to thank Barrow Neurological Center, while I’m not cleared I would not be where I am today without them. Surprisingly the biggest hearts were from strangers, my husband (first from towing and then from servicing propane) talks to people all over, people that are going through things, he would tell them our story. I wish I had every name, they sent prayers, gifts, tips, people that had never met me! Some people would send a card or gift every time he saw them. Others said they were praying every single day. And then there is DAN HALE who creates healing art and has been such a huge part of my heart the last few years. Even online friends and people who just sent a little shout of support us during a surgery or a move … we wouldn’t be here without this community and it’s a community we want to serve.

Website: https://66pitstop.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Jacks66PitStop/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leiaclark/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Jacks66PitStop/posts/

Image Credits
Laura Hartley