In short, it’s going to be demolished for an auto parts store.
The Lewis Motel in Vinita, Okla., was never officially for sale. But the O’Reilly Auto Parts chain approached the owner about a year ago, and the motel will be razed this fall to make way for one of its stores.
I called the Lewis Motel’s 70-year-old owner, Jack Lee. He said he essentially closed the motel about three years ago because of heart problems; he’s had several by-pass surgeries and carries a defibrillator.
The sale to O’Reilly is not yet complete, but he expects it to be in the next few weeks. Lee owned the Lewis Motel for six years. He said he’s “not at liberty” to divulge the selling price until the deal closes.
“It’s only a 12-room motel, and we used part of it for our offices,” Lee said. “We enjoyed it. I bet I saw people taking pictures of that sign three times a day.
“It’s not a bad motel, but it’s not what most (guests) want anymore. It’s not viable.”
Once the sale is complete, O’Reilly wants the neon sign off the property within 30 days. That’s why there’s urgency in selling the sign quickly on eBay. I assured him that he’ll have at least one bidder.
So, you’d better get out to Vinita quickly to get photos. It may not be there for long.
But there may be something we can do. Stay tuned.
Yep, money talks. These old places with peeling paint are endangered by rising land values and aging owners. Wildwood, NJ is losing it’s doo-wop 1950’s motels left and right for new condos. I can tell by looking at the sign that this motel is one of those places that was just barely hanging on.