A closer look at Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla

The Phelps County Focus newspaper recently published a nice profile of the owners of the Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla, Missouri.

The Totem Pole proclaims itself the longest-running Route 66 business in Missouri. It dates to 1933, when the business was further east, closer to the ghost town of Arlington, Missouri, although one of the buildings from that complex still was standing the last time I checked.

The business moved to Rolla in the late 1960s when it became the construction of coming Interstate 44 would cripple the business. It moved again in 1977 to its present location on Martin Spring Drive (aka Route 66).

Most of the article’s focus is on Tim Jones, who’s co-owned it since 1974.

The Totem Pole has endured many changes over the years, including the fact the former Shell station no longer offers fuel. It closed its restaurant. It’s managed to hang on with the sales of souvenirs and antiques. Route 66 travelers continue to find the business, including those from the Netherlands, Germany Spain, Italy, France, Russia and China.

But the newspaper states the Jones family has endured much worse:

[…] One of the couple’s three sons was killed in a car crash. Then some nine years ago, Tim and Alice were injured in a car wreck in town, hit from behind. Alice’s injuries were so severe that she was in a wheelchair for over seven years, he said. 
She can walk short distances now, but no longer are they able to do one of their favorite activities: hooking up the trailer and heading out to find antiques, coming back with a trailer full of treasures, many of which they sold in the Totem Pole.
“I keep this place open seven days a week,” Tim said. “I work until 6 or 7 and then go home and take care of my wife.”
That’s a toll-taking life, and he jokes about trying to sit down to watch TV after cleaning up the supper dishes. 
“It doesn’t take long, and I’m sound asleep,” he said. […]
So, he just prays every morning, thanking the Lord for another day to serve his customers and take care of his wife.  
“I say, ‘It’s in your hands. Whatever you can do, I accept.’ Then I let go and leave everything up to Him,” Jones said. 

Jones, who’s 72, noted the business remains for sale. According to the Route 66 News archives, a guy who owned the Memoryville USA car restoration shop, museum and antique store in Rolla was supposed to take over ownership in 2007, but the deal fell through.

Jones said if he sells the place, the new owners won’t be able to keep the name or its inventory.

When we lived in the St. Louis metro area, we appreciated Totem Pole Trading Post for its clean bathrooms, sugar-cured bacon in burlap sacks, snacks, soda, plus lots of Ozarks souvenirs. The Totem Pole even sold corn whiskey in Mason jars — years before the stuff got trendy again.

If the place eventually falls into new hands, it will be hard to replicate that sort of unique atmosphere or offerings.

(Image of the Totem Pole Trading Post sign in Rolla, Missouri, by Adam Jones via Flickr)