Model US town replica closing after decades
Billed as ‘World’s greatest indoor miniature village’
Roadside America, a wellknown tourist spot off Interstate 78 in Berks County, is permanently closing after 85 years in business, ending the run of a pintsize wonderland that offered a panorama of life in the rural U.S. that included painstakingly detailed buildings, trains and waterways.
Billed as the “world’s greatest indoor miniature village,” Roadside America searched for a buyer for nearly three years, hoping to find someone willing to continue the business. The Shartlesville attraction had been temporarily closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic but had hoped to reopen.
“Despite meeting with multiple interested parties over the last 2 years, each with their own unique vision, none committed to moving forward with the village,” Roadside America said in a Facebook post just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday. “When we closed our doors in March in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained hopeful that someone would come forward and commit to the business. As months passed and the future of tourism remained uncertain,
we ultimately made the difficult decision to do what is best for our family and pursue other options.”
As of midday Sunday, the post had been shared 2,500 times and collected more than 900 comments. Many said how generations of their families visited the attraction, mesmerized by the miniature handcrafted village. The post also reached many from out of state, who visited over the years. Some hoped they might, somehow, get one more glance at the village, a last opportunity to transport their minds back in time.
Roadside America representatives confirmed the closure to The Morning Call on Sunday but did not wish to answer further questions.
The 7,000-square-foot exhibit — with a mini airport, coal mine, movie theater, mountain resort and much more — drew about 36,000 visitors annually as of 2018, which was lower than the visitation it once saw. Featured in books such as “1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die,” Roadside America remained largely unchanged since creator Laurence Gieringer died in 1963.
Dolores Heinsohn, Gieringer’s granddaughter, redid some of the trees in the 1990s because they were in disrepair.
“But for the most, we simply maintain the display the way it was left decades ago, honoring the meticulous craftsmanship of my grandfather,” Heinsohn said on the attraction’s 80th birthday in 2015.
Eventually, Heinsohn reached the point where she was ready “to pass the baton,” real estate broker Marshall Lytle told The Morning Call in April 2018. But the next generation of the family did not want to “continue with the involvement in the ownership,” which put the business and the property on the market, he said.
Lytle, who owns Commonwealth Real Estate in Wyomissing, began marketing Roadside America and its neighboring properties in early 2018, at an asking price of $2.295 million. A listing on his firm’s website for the property at 109 Roadside Drive now lists a price of $1.4 million, making note of how the high-visibility location opens the door to “many commercial possibilities.”
The coronavirus pandemic, and the restrictions placed on many businesses to stem the spread, has hammered businesses that rely on in-person visits, such as Roadside America. And for many businesses that were already struggling before the pandemic hit, the coronavirus dealt a final blow.
In September 2016, Roadside America sought the help of the community, asking for donations to replace its leaking roof. The community quickly answered, raising $18,000 via a GoFundMe online campaign, nearly $5,000 from in-house contributions and about $60,000 from two anonymous donors that allowed the attraction to replace its roof within months and keep its doors open.
With the decision to close, Roadside America said it is planning an auction that will consist of all display pieces, including buildings, bridges, figures and animations. The business said it will share auction details on its Facebook page in the coming weeks.
“This decision was not made without extensive thought and consideration, and was ultimately the result of multiple factors and circumstances,” Roadside America said. “We ask that you please be respectful and understanding of our choices during this difficult time, as this has been indescribably heartbreaking for our family.
“There are no words to express howgrateful we’ve been for every one of you, our valued customers and supporters,” it said. “We truly feel blessed to have been part of your family traditions, memories and treasured moments. It has been our honor to care for Laurence’s meticulously handcrafted landscape, and to share our family’s history with so many people. It was a blessing to remain a family-owned business for so many years. We hope you’re all staying safe during this unprecedented time.”