Explore Hopi interviewed our own Ron
Scheuerman, General Manager, Hopi Travel Plaza. We stopped in at the Travel
Plaza located at the “Eastern Gateway to Hopi,” took some pictures and found
out a little about the history, discussed what’s new and got some ideas for
possible plans being considered for the future. We also met Nellie Coronado,
the Hopi restaurant manager.
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| Ron Scheuerman, General Manager, Hopi Travel Plaza |
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| Hopi Travel Plaza Restaurant |
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| Hopi Travel Plaza |
Can you give us just a little basic background
on this facility and your involvement here?
Ron: “It has been Hopi-owned
since 2002. The facility itself has been here since 1978. I’ve been with the Corporation
[Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation, HTEDC] since February 2013.”
What are some of the main parts of this
business and opportunities here at Hopi Travel Plaza – and are there other
things that stand out for you?
“Our market is travelers and
the local community. We continue to evaluate other services that will appeal to
these consumers.” Ron explained they do get truck drivers, but that is not the
majority, the heart or the main focus of the Hopi Travel Plaza’s business.
The Travel Plaza is really a
mini mall with multiple shops and food services as well as a fuel station. “We
like to think given all that we have to offer, we are worth the drive.”
“When one visits the Plaza
they will find a travel gift shop, a knife shop, a sit-down restaurant as well
as fast food (Burger King) and a salon. Under the expert direction of our Hopi
manager, Nellie Coronado, the restaurant has new menus and a new paint scheme. New
menu items are Hopi hot beef and a Native taco as well as a native dessert. The
banquet room has been recently remodeled and now can accommodate 30
comfortably.”
The Hopi Travel Plaza also has
all services found in a traditional travel center including a large convenience
store and truck repair. Hopi Travel Plaza also has a Conoco gas station and sells
gas, diesel and propane. There is a full-service diesel shop with full time
mechanics on duty 24/7. With a propane tank recently added, the Plaza now has the
ability to fill up RV tanks.
The management sees the Hopi
Travel Plaza and Holbrook to be a destination place. Holbrook has native dances
every night. They feel that there may be opportunities to bring some of those
dances to the Travel Plaza as well as other events. This could create the
ability to offer other services such as a RV Park. Ron stated “We are thinking about
putting in an RV park. We still need to do the market study but there may be a
market void that the Travel Plaza can fill. With the Petrified Forest nearby the
two RV parks in Holbrook fill up fast. The question is, can the area support a
third?”
One opportunity Ron is
exploring with a Hopi theme is a walk-through Hopi Museum including a Hopi
Visitor Center as an added attraction to the Holbrook area and amenity at the
Travel Plaza. “We are also looking at possibly bringing a Hopi artist on site,
and we are also looking into actively selling Explore Hopi packages. That will bring the Hopi cultural and
educational experience to those stopping by.” Per Ron, “My thought with
Explore Hopi is you can start here, buy the package while spending some time at
Petrified Forest, go to the Hopi Cultural Center then finish at Days Inn Kokopelli in Sedona. “This way you get to
experience Hopi as well as many other Arizona attractions all in one vacation.”
The Plaza is focused not only
on the future but improvements in the present. Ron stated that the restrooms
are slated to be remodeled hopefully by the first of the year and they have
added new services over the last six months such as DVD rentals, fresh fruit
cups and hot pizza made to order. “With nearly 700 visitors a day to the Hopi
Travel Plaza we are focused on offering them the best in convenience, plus shopping
and an eating experience. This will separate us form the competition and help us
grow our business.”
You are exploring other things to promote and
themes to help market this Hopi Travel Plaza?
“We have talked about a lot
of things already. With all the added services and shops, we now have to
develop a branding strategy to draw people in.” One of the things under
consideration is a Route 66 theme. I’ve met with Meteor Crater, Petrified
Forest National Monument, the Holbrook and Winslow Chambers of Commerce and
we’ve talked about different things. We know that in Australia and Germany the
Route 66 theme is huge – folks fly into Chicago or to the western end in
California they rent a Harley and they drive the route. The numbers of
travelers on motorcycles that come through Holbrook average about 14,000 per
year. We all agree the western side of Route 66 has a great marketing strategy
because of Grand Canyon. But we have a lot to offer: Petrified Forest, Canyon
de Chelly, Explore Hopi, of course, and Meteor Crater.”
The Hopi Travel Plaza has a
huge atrium. Per Ron “My thought is the possibility of a visitor center where
people can come and get information for all of these activities you can do in Eastern
and Northern Arizona. We want to say: stop in here and get all your
information, to get travel ideas for Arizona.”
What are things you really like about this job,
what gets you excited about being here?
“It’s a great challenge. It’s
exciting for me and our team: the opportunity to take something that was
struggling and lacked direction and make it into the shining star of the HTEDC
portfolio through offering world class service to our customers… I take much
more pleasure to step back and look and say: We built that.”
