Once upon a time they were on the main drag.
Now they sit on side roads, places that time forgot or, more accurately, places that time caught up with.
Like the Motel Jackson, a tidy, 15-room brick way-stop. Today, the empty building is surrounded by single-family homes and its owner is trying to sell it.
A sign on the door reads: “Closed!! For a Much Needed Extended Vacation.” And then, perhaps with misplaced optimism: “Will Re-Open Soon.”
It’s unclear exactly when the motel ceased operations, but it has been on the market since 1994.
While the corporate chains build and expand along the interstate, a smattering of small, off-the-beaten-path motels continue to hang on in Jackson County. They usually are family-run operations, mom-and-pop stops that make up for the missing pool with personalized service and low rates.
A room for the night can be had for less than $30 at the Cascades Motel. That’s at least $10 cheaper than at one of the budget chains.
Jean Steller has run the place with her husband Carles since 1985. He bought the business in 1973 and remodeled it from the ground up, Jean Steller said.
Although the furnishings may seem a little dated–a plaid fabric sofa provides seating in one unit–the rooms are clean and comfortable and all feature ceramic tile baths.
Mrs. Steller estimated the history of the place goes back to the 1930s when accommodations were in cabins.
“This was the old highway to Ann Arbor,” she said. “From here to Ann Arbor there really isn’t anything else; it’s a 30-mile stretch.
There is a tiny cluster of small motels in the area, in addition to the seven rooms at the Cascades. Just to the east is the Michigan Motel.
Zoanne Reason, who runs the Michigan Motel with her husband John, said the business has been in operation 75 years.
She used to manage the place and decided to buy it four years ago when the previous owners wanted to get out.
Since taking over, she has added new doors and windows and this spring the couple plans to have a new roof installed and remodel four efficiency units. They also added a small addition for a gift shop.
Mrs. Reason, who had throat cancer and talks with an electronic speaking device, said running the motel provides her a steady, albeit 24-hour-a-day job.
Doug Campbell has lived in an efficiency unit, which includes a kitchen and a living room, in the Michigan Motel since 1992.
“I love it,” he said. “It’s nice and quiet and it’s like home. I know the people who own the place . . . it’s like family.”
The Joy Motel is the last chance for a traveler heading east before they reach Ann Arbor, but not many stop there. Elizabeth Michalec, who runs the place with her husband John, said most of her clients are long-term, staying for weeks or months at a time.
“We have weekly rates here,” she said. “We are not like a regular motel.”
In addition to their isolation, the Joy, Cascades and Michigan motels have one other thing in common. Each features a tiny guest registration area equipped with a security window.
“We do get some weirdos out here once in a while,” said Mrs. Reason at the Michigan Motel.
The financial rewards may be limited running a small motel, but because the owners are often the only employees, labor costs are low. And because they live on the premises, either in an attached house or modified rooms, living expenses are modest.
And running a small hotel meshes well with raising a family.
“It really doesn’t interrupt the family life,” Mrs. Steller said.
The toughest thing is taking time off and getting a chance to stay in some other motel.
“It does tie us down,” Mrs. Steller said. “But the nice thing is you’re never late for work.”
