This is part of a series of essays with photos on the last motels still standing in Reno. We previously had a series on the last motel residents of Reno. Motels, initially conceived for tourists, increasingly became a last housing option for many, due to bad credit, not enough money for deposits, or not wanting to deal with a multitude of bills and complications, or a first housing option for residents coming out of homelessness. Many motels are now being torn down, after being bought out and razed by slow to act developers, with many vacant lots now dotting the downtown landscape.
i took myself out this time
i said too much when i shouldn’t have
you make it easier for me to experience things
i met the housekeeper, Donna, when i was taking these pictures
she was a nice woman
she gave me a hard time for having a camera, but not in a hostile way
saying “you look a little too old to be at UNR” and “your wallet looks a little too clean to be keeping it in your front pocket,” then followed that up with a laugh and explaining she was kidding
i offered to show my student id, but she didn’t seem to mind me there
i love the swan logo of this place
i can wait it out
it felt nice to go out and shoot photos again, especially in a new environment like this motel
it has been awhile since i have
the metal flowers below the front stairwell gave me a smile
they were cute in their own endearing sort of way
i don’t know how much longer this motel will last
online it said it was closed, but as i arrived there were a few guests i could hear
a man muttering to himself and smoking a cigarette on the second floor, eyeballing me as i walked around
a younger kid blasting music from his room with the door wide open towards the back
it was a good song
donna told me to be careful around the area
i appreciated that
i hope good things come her way