Motel Monday: Bingo’s Motel of Wakefield, Michigan

All motel images courtesy of The Jim Seelen Motel Images Collections

You know, once in a while we find a motel that we just have to write about though little is known about it. Take Bingo’s Motel in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, for instance.

A Sign of Life

Passing by Bingo’s Motel on Michigan’s Route 28, the first thing you’ll notice is the sign.

It’s a beautiful bucolic scene of a neon deer jumping a snow covered log. The deer itself is emblazoned with an all-caps “BINGO’s”, also in neon. More neon follows underneath in the former bigger, block-style “MOTEL”. To the front of the sign is even more neon on a smaller add-on sign that reads “TV YES”. (Because, after all, who can say “No” to TV?)

With the deer, the snow, and evergreens in the background, the sign reminded us of a Christmas card. As a result, we thought it would make a great holiday post for Motel Monday today.

After doing a little research, however, we found that it’s not really a Christmas scene at all. In fact, it actually depicts a scene from everyday life in winter Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

And Bingo Was His Name-O

Beside the fact that it’s not a reindeer but actually a white-tailed deer, our first clue should have been its name. We know Dasher, Dancer and all the names of Santa’s reindeer including Rudolph, and we’re pretty sure there’s no Bingo.

That’s because the motel is actually named after its owner, Eugene “Bingo” Vittone. Vittone built his 20-unit namesake hotel sometime in the late 1950s. (One online source says that the motel was first mentioned in local newspapers in 1958.)  Some of them even came with kitchenettes.

However, Bingo seemed to be quite the mid-century entrepreneur as next to the motel he also built Bingo’s Bar. And next to the bar was Bingo and Sons Garage which also served as a gas station.

Of course, Bingo built all of this for tourists who came up to the “Yooper” for deer hunting and snowmobiling. (“Yooper” is a nickname derived from the abbreviation for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—the “U.P.”.)

Mr. Bingo seems to have done pretty good for himself. Online reviews as recently as 2020 praise Mr. Bingo and his motel, giving it a collective 4.0 rating on Google.

Whether or not the motel is still open today is, well, let’s just say the information is a little foggy. One Michigan tourist site claims the motel is still open in 2022. However, other online sources say the motel is now closed. Phone calls and social media attempts to contact the motel have gone answered so far.

Maybe Mr. Bingo’s is up north talking to Santa Claus about lending him his neon deer. It could get foggy again this Christmas Eve. After all, Rudolph isn’t the young buck he used to be.

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One thing we are sure about, however, is that Stuckey’s always make good holiday gifts no matter where you roam.

Start with stuffing those stockings with Stuckey’s treats like our iconic pecan log rolls, chocolate gophers, and classic pecan pralines. And don’t forget to have some snacks on hand for when holiday guests drop in. Our flavored pecans and other nuts or our Hunkey Dorey popcorn mix are sure to please even the grinchiest palate.

For that person who seems to have everything, get them something we’re pretty sure they don’t have yet.  That’s right, we’re talking about the Stuckey’s branded “Merry Christmas, Y’all” t-shirt that’s now available for the 2022 Christmas season. Of course, our Stuckey’s branded t-shirts and hoodies also look great wrapped up under the tree, too.

Finally, if you’re not sure what to get that special someone this year, get them something special from Stuckey’s. It’ll be surprises all around when you get them the Stuckey’s Mystery Box. Maybe they’ll that rubber alligator they always wanted since that family vacation to Florida back in ’73. Maybe it’ll be an Elvis throw pillow that reads: “I’m Just a Hunka Burning Love!”  We can’t tell you what surprises await in your Stuckey’s Mystery box.

What we can tell you, however, is that every Stuckey’s Mystery Box comes with a pecan log roll and some Stuckey’s branded merchandise. Plus, the actual value of everything inside will exceed the price of the mystery box itself.

So, what will be in your Stuckey’s Mystery Box this year? There’s only one way to find out.

Order all of this and more today, only from www.stuckeys.com.

Stuckey’s – We’re Making Road Trips (and Holidays) Fun Again!