Gary’s Gay Parita Station in Paris Springs, Missouri, recently won the Tracy Kimberlin Hospitality Award given by the Missouri Division of Tourism.
According to Missouri Tourism, the annual award “recognizes an individual, business, or organization that has demonstrated excellent customer service.”
The award was presented during the annual Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism on Oct. 7-9 in Lake Ozark.
Here’s what it stated about the station:
“Gary’s Gay Parita is a 1930s Sinclair service station that was restored in 2005 by Gary Turner. Gary’s vision of a nostalgic roadside attraction is carried on by his daughter, Barbara Barnes. Travelers who stop by can peruse the buildings and all of the retro collectibles that give the place character. This unique stop on Route 66 welcomes visitors from across the globe and was featured in National Geographic.”
The Facebook page for the Route 66 landmark posted a photo from the awards ceremony:
It’s good that the ceremony mentioned Gary Turner’s inimitable contribution to the site.
Turner re-created a circa-1930 gas station owned by Fred and Gay Mason that stood there along old Route 66 until it burned down in 1955.
Gay Parita Station quickly became a must-stop for Route 66 travelers because of Turner’s hospitality and quirky, homespun humor. A planned 15-minute often turned into three hours — and no one minded.
One of the best stories about Turner was by Andrew Evans, writing for the Digital Nomad blog for National Geographic:
Gary is the opposite of intimidating. He offers me a cold root beer from his outdoor fridge, all the while telling me how business works on Route 66 functions today — how everybody on the road looks out for everybody else. “If you treat people right and I hear about it, then I send more people your way. But if you serve crappy food and have unfair prices, well then,” he pauses for effect. “You just won’t last.” He names an establishment in Oklahoma that I must avoid at all costs. “Worst hamburger I ever had,” he shakes his head, then swears. Gary’s wife Lena walks over and sits down next to him. “You’ll see — it’s a family, all of us on Route 66. When you get to Santa Monica, you’ll miss it and want to come back.”
Turner, 70, died in 2015 after battling several health problems.
(Image of Gay Parita Station courtesy of David Schwartz)