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hattie
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# Posted: 19 May 2019 11:25pm - Edited by: hattie
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In 2021 we will be closing our little motel and retiring. We will still live here and use our motel rooms for when our children and grandchildren visit. So here is the problem.....
Since 2008 our cabin (which is also the office to our motel) has become a stopping place. People walk in to use our phone, the washroom, chat about the area, check into their room, etc. We have designed our motel to look like a Bank, Saloon, Barbershop and Post Office. I want to keep those signs up because they add to the look of our place. We will take down the big motel sign on our property though. So how do we deter people from walking into our cabin when we retire? I don't want to put up No Trespassing signs but maybe some Private Property signs would help.
Do any of you have any clever wording we could put on the signs that are not rude, but do make it clear we are no longer a business establishment? Thanks for your help!
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darz5150
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# Posted: 19 May 2019 11:57pm
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Maybe you could start by making up some flyers and put them up prior to your closing. Saying something like...Thanks for All the Years of memories...Unfortunately we will officially be closing on (fill in the blank) date.
Flyers would be a cheap way to give plenty of notice before you close. You can put them in neighboring communities also.
Probably the hardest part, is that you have become a well known part of the community. It will take a little time for that to fade away. Good Luck and enjoy retirement!
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hattie
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 12:06am - Edited by: hattie
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Thanks for that suggestion darz5150. We have put a notice on our webpage about when we will be closing. Most of the people who "drop in" are from out of town.
Putting something in the newspaper might be a good idea though.
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ICC
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 09:50am
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Fencing and a gate with a keypad lock. Only half joking.
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hattie
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 12:12pm
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ICC - Yesterday my husband and I were sitting on the porch and talking about what to do. I want to put up a couple of signs (but can't figure out wording other than Private Residence) and he suggested we put a chain across the steps to our porch. He said it could just be a plain chain with an open loop that we can put on a hook. His thought was that it would cause people to pause and think before proceeding.
Don't get me wrong. I like people, but we just don't want the interruption of them walking into our cabin. We will have to keep the front door locked for some time but I just want to get my cabin back to being ours again without being rude. I thought if I could make the Private Residence sign a bit funny, it might make things better.
I should also note that we own a defibrillator that is available to the town should it be needed (we have a sign on one of the posts of our porch) and many come here to call 911 in an emergency (this is a big ATV area so accidents happen and there is no cell service), so we don't want to make it impossible for them or friends to get to our door. We just want them to realize we are no longer a business.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 02:44pm
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Maybe signage on the door now that will read "retiring/closing business doors on X date, after that date, this property will revert back to a private residence.
Get it in place now. The travelers stopped because it was a business. Once large sign is gone, they will drive by
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ICC
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 04:16pm
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And BTW, enjoy retirement! It is nice to be able to do what you want, when you want. You have hobbies, volunteerism, etc. to fill the time that will be available?
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bushbunkie
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 06:32pm
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"Now Happily Retired...and this is our home"
Please respect - Private Property
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hattie
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# Posted: 20 May 2019 11:26pm
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech "retiring/closing business doors on X date, after that date, this property will revert back to a private residence.
I like this idea a lot!!! Thanks so much for this! We will definitely put up a sign like this now. Neither of us had thought of doing something like that before we close.
Quoting: bushbunkie "Now Happily Retired...and this is our home" Please respect - Private Property
I really like this idea too! It is a much softer way of telling people we are a private residence. I think this one might be the solution for after we close the business.
Quoting: ICC You have hobbies, volunteerism, etc. to fill the time that will be available?
Thank you for the nice wishes. We are very active in a local historic society where we live. It takes up a lot of our time so it will be nice not to have to try to fit it in around running our business. 
I am a Pinterest junkie so I am always finding little craft ideas to try out. Hopefully we will also see our children and grandchildren more once we close the business. They complain that they can never come to visit because we are always busy with guests. There won't be any excuses once we retire.
My husband is really big into air guns. He enjoys modifying them, experimenting with them and designing new pellets for them. I'll hardly see him once the business closes. He'll either be out in the shop creating a new design or out in the bush testing them.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 21 May 2019 07:34am
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A No vacancies sign may help and go along with your look. You could put under it "permanently closed"
Or talk to a local motel and put a sign up that you have moved to there location.
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hattie
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# Posted: 21 May 2019 01:13pm
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Brettny: The Permanently Closed idea is very good. I might do that for the short period when we close the motel and before we take down the sign. We will be closing in February of 2021 so will probably wait until spring (after the snow melt) to actually take our Motel sign down.
Unfortunately, we are the only motel in our town. I have been telling people there will be a need to replace us. Hopefully someone will step up and build something.
Thank you for your suggestions!!
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offgrididaho
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# Posted: 21 May 2019 11:18pm
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Also look into all online listings, not 100% sure how it works but you see Google and TripAdvisor listings that say "closed", you'll want that for your online presence as well...
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hattie
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# Posted: 21 May 2019 11:20pm
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offgrididaho - hmmmm....that is interesting. We are on TripAdvisor so I will have to look into this. I didn't realize they could do that. Thanks for the tip!!
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hattie
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# Posted: 21 May 2019 11:34pm
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offgrididaho - I just googled this and yes, I will be able to do that with TripAdvisor!
Thank you so much to all of you who offered your excellent advice. It has all been extremely helpful!! Once again, the Small Cabin Forum folk have proven themselves to be very knowledgeable!!!!
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