Other Abandoned Businesses

Abandoned businesses are a common sight in numerous states across the United States, reflecting broader economic and social transformations.

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Abandoned businesses are common in numerous states across the United States, reflecting broader economic and social transformations. The causes for their closure vary widely. In many cases, economic downturns—either local or national—led to a decrease in consumer spending, forcing businesses to shut their doors. In other instances, evolving consumer preferences rendered certain goods or services obsolete, particularly in retail, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors.

Arizona

Lake Mead Rancheros

The Kozy Corner Trailer Court, located in Antares, Arizona, originated circa 1965 as a roadside establishment known as Lake Mead Rancheros. ^{8 9 10} Situated along U.S. Route 66, it included a restaurant, bar, motel, and a Shell gas station at the front of the property. As the site evolved, a small trailer court was added behind the main structure, and the name was changed to Kozy Corner Trailer Court. By the late 1980s, the motel had shifted toward offering inexpensive accommodations, with some rooms converted into small two-bedroom apartments. A handful of trailer spaces continued to serve long-term residents, and a diner operated for both travelers and the local community. The area attracted those seeking low-cost housing or a degree of isolation, and it was reportedly still active in this capacity just before 1990.

Over time, additional facilities were added, including the Kozy-Mart convenience store and a Laundr-O-Mat. ^{8 9} As of 2017, the property included Giganticus Headicus, a 14-foot-tall concrete sculpture resembling a stylized moai. Created by artist Gregg Arnold, the sculpture stands as a prominent roadside curiosity along Route 66. By this time, the site was functioning more as a gallery and gift shop than a traditional trailer court or motel.

Other

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Indiana

Maryland

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Michigan

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New Mexico

Tucumcari Inn

The Tucumcari Inn was built in 1964 as the Aruba Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. ¹¹ It was one of two motels in Tucumcari developed by Chester Dohrer, who also constructed the nearby Motel Safari. The property started with 22 rooms and was later expanded to 28 and then 37, offering travelers combination tubs and showers, central refrigerated air, hot water heat, dial phones, televisions, and a heated swimming pool. A manager’s apartment and a Tiki-themed restaurant added to its mid-century charm.

For many years, the motel operated as a Best Western, a designation it held until 1999. ¹¹ Despite occasional remodels, the flow of guests slowed, and by around 2015, the property closed.

Other

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Nevada

Diamond Inn

The Diamond Inn Motel, originally known as the Desert Isle Motel, was established in 1955 on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. ^{1 2 3} The property included a house constructed in 1940 and some bungalows, which remained on-site throughout the motel’s operation. ³ In 1964, the 48-room motel added a distinctive pink elephant statue to its front lawn. This statue, initially located at the Bagdad Inn Motel became an iconic roadside attraction. ¹

In 1978, Sam Aldabbagh purchased the motel. ³ Around 1990, he renamed it the Diamond Inn . The motel operated under this name until its closure in 2023.

Laughing Jackalope

Not far from there were the ruins of the Laughing Jackalope. The property originally opened in 1955 as Wright’s Motel. ⁴ Over the years, it operated under various names—Ali Baba’s, the Snowbird, then Sunbird Inn—before a bar was added to the front and became the Laughing Jackalope in 1998. The Laughing Jackalope ceased operations around 2010, and the motel structures were subsequently demolished.

White Sands Motel

Opened in 1959 by Frank and Margaret Durand, who had sold a menswear business in Freehold Township, New Jersey, the White Sands featured 33 heated rooms, each with a TV and shower, a spire-like marquee, and a heated pool. ⁵ The Durands promoted it as a quiet refuge from the bustle of the Strip.

The White Sands was one of many motor court motels in this southern stretch of the Boulevard, along with the Pollyanna, Kona Kai, Fez, Klondike, Diamond Inn, Glass Pool Inn, and Casa Malaga. ⁵ Ownership of the White Sands changed several times, and in 1986, Spartaco Colleli acquired it. After Colleli died in 1992, the property fell into neglect. It officially closed in 1999, and by 2015, the county had declared it an imminent danger, citing structural issues, criminal activity, and a widespread feral cat infestation. ^{6 7}

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Tennessee

Patriotic Place

Patriotic Palace, a shop selling fireworks and souvenirs, was located beside a truck stop in Tennessee. Nearby, across a connecting highway, stood another Ferris wheel, renowned for its vibrant nighttime illumination and serving as an advertisement for a local fairground. Founded in 2008, Patriotic Palace became a notable local feature until it was destroyed by a fire on July 6, 2014. Following the fire, the site has been mostly abandoned.

Other

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Sources

1. 1. Boyle, Christopher. “Las Vegas Strip’s Historic Diamond Inn Motel – Along with Iconic Pink Elephant – Set to be Auctioned Off, Demolished.” Shelter Realty, 11 Mar. 2024.
   2. “Diamond Inn Motel.” The Historic Las Vegas Project.
   3. King, J.P. “Desert Isle Motel.” Vintage Las Vegas, 21 May 2025.
   4. “Laughing Jackalope.” The Historic Las Vegas Project.
   5. “Question of the Day – November 30, 2015.” Las Vegas Advisor, 30 Nov. 2015.
   6. Velotta, Richard N. “Unsafe and Unsightly: Boarded-Up Strip Motel Has Turbulent History.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5 Apr. 2023.
   7. Chávez, Ricardo Torres-Cortez. “Strip Motel with History of Vandals, Feral Cats up for Sale.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 23 Feb. 2023.
   8. “Kozy Trailer Park – Antares, Arizona.” Route 66 Times.
   9. Erickson, Mary Anne. “Kozy Corner Trailer Park.” maryanneerickson.com.
   10. Whittall, Austin. “Antares.” The Route 66, 8 Jul. 2025.
   11. “Aruba Motel / Tucumcari Inn.” Route 66 Times.