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Dunes Motel (Demolished)
Pico Rivera, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

Here’s the Dunes Motel that once greeted motorists along Rosemead Boulevard in Pico Rivera. Its sweeping script marquee brought a little Las Vegas flavor to a stretch of road with several memorable overnight stops.

Opened around 1960, the motel was operated by hosts Andy and Laura Kimes. Advertised comforts included a swimming pool, air conditioning, complimentary television, and a guest coffee room. A place to cool off and get a cup before heading back onto the road.

The Dunes shared this lodging corridor with Ric’s Starlite Lodge and the Sky Villa. Nearby industrial activity, including the former Ford assembly plant, helped bring workers and travelers through the area.

UPDATE: The Dunes Motel at 7116 Rosemead Boulevard was reportedly demolished in the early 2000s for residential redevelopment. An exact closure or demolition year was not supplied. 10-26

Ric's Starlite Lodge (Demolished)
Pico Rivera, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

An atomic-style marquee once announced Ric’s Starlite Lodge in Pico Rivera. Its angular Googie design gave passing motorists something to check out along Rosemead Boulevard, even if they weren’t looking for a room.

Opened in the 1950s, the property offered more than overnight accommodations. A cocktail lounge and the CoachLite Inn Coffee Shop made it a place to stop for a meal or drink, serving travelers and workers from the surrounding industrial corridor.

The old postcard views show another side of the lodge, with dark wood furnishings and a dining area that recalls the motel’s busier years. Quite a bit of activity once took place behind that roadside sign.

UPDATE: Ric’s Starlite Lodge at 7044 Rosemead Boulevard was reportedly closed and demolished in the early 2000s. The former motel site became part of later residential redevelopment. 10-26

Sky Villa Motel (Demolished)
Pico Rivera, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

Take a look at the artist’s rendering of the Sky Villa Motel in Pico Rivera. The palm-lined pool and carefully arranged buildings made this roadside stop look ready for a vacation, with a sharp geometric marquee advertising the accommodations.

Opened in the 1950s, the Sky Villa offered a resort-like setting along Rosemead Boulevard. Promotional illustrations and matchbooks showed off the grounds, giving prospective guests a preview before they ever reached the driveway.

Together with the nearby Dunes and Ric’s Starlite Lodge, it formed part of a small cluster of mid-century lodging. Travelers had several choices along this stretch, each with its own roadside greeting.

UPDATE: The Sky Villa Motel at 7204 Rosemead Boulevard was reportedly demolished in the early 2000s. Its buildings and marquee disappeared as the area changed to later residential uses. 10-26

Midwick Motor Hotel (Gone)
Monterey Park, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

The Midwick Motor Hotel recalls the days when “motor hotel” was a familiar name for a roadside overnight stop. Along Garvey Avenue near Monterey Park and Alhambra, the property offered motorists a place to pull in before freeways changed the drive through the valley.

Opened in the late 1940s, the hotel took its name from the nearby historic Midwick Country Club. Garvey Avenue carried substantial east-west traffic, making it a practical location for travelers heading through the Los Angeles area.

Later renovations changed the accommodations toward longer-term lodging. The older buildings nevertheless continued in use, keeping a little of the pre-freeway roadside landscape along the avenue.

UPDATE: The Midwick Motor Hotel remains in operation at 1901 Garvey Avenue, primarily serving longer-term residents. The drive in portion of the sign disappeared about 15 years ago. It became the Fountain Motel and the sign was modernized with the new name. 10-26

The View Motel
Monterey Park, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

Bright colors and an arrow pointing toward the driveway give The View Motel a familiar mid-century greeting. This Garvey Avenue stop near Monterey Park and Alhambra has the sort of marquee that makes an ordinary drive worth a second look.

Opened in the 1950s, the two-story motor court served motorists traveling through the growing San Gabriel Valley. Its roadside pylon supplied the personality, while the arrow handled the directions.

The rooms have received later updates, but the older layout and recognizable sign framework recall the property’s earlier years. Sometimes a little color above the driveway is all it takes to keep an old motel in the memory.

UPDATE: The View Motel is reported to remain in operation at 1851 Garvey Avenue, retaining its mid-century building footprint and retro roadside sign framework. 10-26