The Patel Motel Story

[Parsad]

Mohnish discussed this some 20 years ago...but a young film-maker has now made a documentary on the subject.  Cheers!

 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/04/travel/patel-motel-story-hotel-history-cec

[Monsieur_dee]

Would be nice if was available online

[Saluki]

I saw a fascinating documentary on the Donut industry in California that was dominated by Cambodians, and another on nail salons that were owned by Vietnamese (all of who arrived as boat people refugees). Apparently, once someone gets in there and makes money on it, they are really willing to help others from their fellow countrymen, as opposed to the US mindset of keeping it to yourself. 

 

Even before I heard of the Patel connection, I noticed that a lot of motels in the Midwest (where I would visit in the 2000s) were owned by Indian operators, but it never occorred to me that they they all came from one small area of the country and that many of them were related.  In NYC construction, where my Dad worked, he mentioned that a lot of roofing people were from India all of a sudden, and that people just assumed that they were Mexican because they were tanned skin and worked so hard. 

[spartansaver]

2 hours ago, Saluki said:

I saw a fascinating documentary on the Donut industry in California that was dominated by Cambodians, and another on nail salons that were owned by Vietnamese (all of who arrived as boat people refugees). Apparently, once someone gets in there and makes money on it, they are really willing to help others from their fellow countrymen, as opposed to the US mindset of keeping it to yourself. 

 

Even before I heard of the Patel connection, I noticed that a lot of motels in the Midwest (where I would visit in the 2000s) were owned by Indian operators, but it never occorred to me that they they all came from one small area of the country and that many of them were related.  In NYC construction, where my Dad worked, he mentioned that a lot of roofing people were from India all of a sudden, and that people just assumed that they were Mexican because they were tanned skin and worked so hard. 

The Donut King. Very fun but sad documentary. Love old school donut shops in CA. Not a fan of the new donut stores, overpriced and too much going on. 

[rogermunibond]

[schin]

On 10/6/2025 at 12:40 PM, spartansaver said:

The Donut King. Very fun but sad documentary. Love old school donut shops in CA. Not a fan of the new donut stores, overpriced and too much going on. 

 

@spartansaver - I've been to LA, but didn't realize the connection with Cambodians.  The Patels did it nationwide, where the donut connection only focused in CA.

 

But, sad it below up on a vice.... Who knew this thread would cross over to the MGM Grand thread.. LOL.