Editor,
While surely we all applaud the refreshed efforts at the restoration of the Joy Motel, I feel it necessary to address what I see as a critical omission in the recent article of welcome to its new ownership. The efforts of the previous owner, Marcia Yearsley, have been critical to the wellbeing and continuation of that property as an operating concern.
At the time of her purchase, the main house was scheduled to be bulldozed. She saved that beautiful structure. I also recall an afternoon of travel to Branson where we would decide on the proper restoration of the swimming pool. A swimming pool she offered to many members of our community to freely use. A lot of thought and heart were given to these and many other efforts that essentially brought that hotel back to any semblance of life.
Before Marcia Yearsley, the hotel had no ranking at all. The quote of the Trip Advisor ranking is not the complete picture. It’s out of context and I find it rather myopic. When Marcia purchased that property, the hotel was abandoned and going to full ruin. The pool was a swamp and many of the rooms were in a state of full collapse. So let us remember the critical link in the chain that we all indeed are a part of. Marcia knocked her ass off holding that property together as best she could and with what she had, she did a damned good job of it.
And while we speak of ratings, I know for a fact that her cottages on that same property, on a ratings agency I will not mention here, are rated just fine. None of those cottages were even habitable when she took her ownership. She also had many repeat clientele that thanked her for her efforts.
This in no way is intended to slight the new ownership or the inadvertent omission of details in that article of welcome. I do feel the article has created a bit of hurt in it’s overlooking of Marcia’s efforts. A hurt to a valued friend and a member of our community.
I have written this letter in response to the article without any input from Marcia. I have done this completely of my own accord.
Ray Manna