Story Archive

You Can Buy IT

For $900,000, you can buy Bob Perchetti’s business in Tonopah, Nev., but you can’t get rid of the decorations per state law: the Clown Motel is considered historic.“What’s a clown motel doing in a historic mining town? That’s kind of strange,” Perchetti admits. And it’s appropriately named, because there are clowns everywhere around the property: in the lobby, in the rooms, even hanging over most of the beds. “It’s also called the scariest motel in the U.S.,” Perchetti claims, noting there’s a cemetery next door. He opened the place 22 years ago after retiring from a state job, and his (now deceased) business partner brought in the clowns. “He had a house full of clowns,” Perchetti said. “And he decided to bring the clowns up and put them to work.” But he says he is ready to retire again. “I want to go enjoy myself,” he said. “I’m going to do a little camping with the grandkids.” (MS/KLAS Las Vegas) ...They’ll be traveling in a really tiny car.