The Alanreed Travel Center in the tiny town of Alanreed, Texas, is for sale, and one of the complex’s longtime operators said they’ll likely close the business in late July.
Century 21 Commercial lists the property for $300,000. It includes the gas station, RV park and motel that includes a post office. According to the listing, it’s been operating there since 1965.
Dixie Jo Crockett, one of the travel center’s operators with her husband Davy, said during a telephone interview they’ve been running the place 36 years, and it’s time for them to retire because of increasingly poor health. Davy soon will turn 80, and Dixie said she’s 77.
“We can’t keep up with this,” she said. She said the last two years have been hard, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, Dixie said she’d take with her a lot of memories when she retires.
“It’s been wonderful,” she said. “It’s been fun. You can’t imagine all the wonderful people I’ve seen since we’ve run the place.”
UPDATE: The property’s longtime owner, Johnny Holton of Wellington, Texas, said he’s put the property up for sale because he’s now semi-retired and wants to step away like the Crocketts soon will do.
“They’re ready to quit, and I am, too,” he said in a phone interview.
Anyone interested in buying the property can call Holton at (806) 205-0942.
(Hat tip to Terry Beck; image of Alanreed Travel Center in Alanreed, Texas, via Century 21 Commercial listing)
I stopped there just last month and bought a turkey sandwich and a Route 66 root beer. The folks there were very pleasant and accommodating. I hope they find a buyer soon.