Comments on: Desi Curators of Americana

By: Anne Dodge

Anne Dodge — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:12:26 +0000

Hi all – thanks for the posting about my project! I’ve been working on it for about a year and it’s been slow going (because I have another job ), but it’s great to read these comments. If you want to keep up with the project, go to my website (www.annedodge.com) or to the project’s site (www.66motels.com), and sign up for the RSS feed so you can actually see when I have time to post new content (about every two weeks or so). And, hey, Curly – send me an email! I’d love to talk to you more about your family’s 66 motel…

By: Malibu Stacy

Malibu Stacy — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:20:51 +0000

My husband was reading a personal finance book called the “Dhando Investor”. It had some great insights into the whole Gujju owned motels and I think the author was also Gujrati. We have stayed in many such places, some on rt 66 also, where the whole family would appear to be living in the rooms behind the office/check in. It is a bit odd and funny when we learn the owner happens to be Jack Patel (some motel in UT !). The American owned sign used to be a euphemism for white owners of course but now seems to be ubiquitous. The great success story is how the motel/hotel markets have been taken over by desi-Americans who started with so little as the book explains.

By: phillygrrl

phillygrrl — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:14:36 +0000

The Gujuratis of San Fran? Fascinating. I second the thanks, Hilal.

By: Pavani

Pavani — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:23:22 +0000

Thanks for the book suggestion.

By: Paradesi

Paradesi — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:17:38 +0000

After watching Psycho, wouldn’t people want to stay in motels which were NOT “American Owned”?

By: Hilal

Hilal — Fri, 22 May 2009 03:10:22 +0000

i remember reading 'the gujaratis of san francisco' a few years back (usha jain). very interesting stuff. the history behind patel motels/potels is rich and filled with stories of exclusion...it's not a history we hear about enough imo.

thanks for posting this.

(ps: how long until someone makes a 'get your kicks on route 66' joke? 3, 2,...;) )

By: curly

curly — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:21:35 +0000

Thanks for the tip! Will have to check this out. As a child of immigrant parents who own motels (one on Route 66!), I know first hand the prejuidices some travelers havce against “non-Causcasians” owning businesses. We had some that would walk in the front office and walk out when they saw my father. Since most motels thrive on tourist business, I’m not suprised they put up “American owned”. The funny thing is that the town my parents live in have 90% of the motels owned by South Asians. One of the “Caucasian” owner put up a sign that said “white owned”. Wonder if it got them more business….

By: Pavani

Pavani — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:24:27 +0000

Thanks for the tip about the earlier SM post re: the American Owned sign.

By: Indophile

Indophile — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:11:47 +0000

Very nice article on Gandhi if you click the link above. Of course, this blog is great too.

By: Basanti Patel

Basanti Patel — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:10:34 +0000

There’s longstanding joke in ISKCON re: Patel Motels. They used them all the time – for free – during their selling campaigns on the road. I can’t tell you how much money overall was lost hosting those people throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s and up until today. While they came back in the evenings loaded with cash from their parking lot solicitations….