SEATTLE — One of the most popular unofficial holiday attractions in Seattle is back.
Queen Anne resident Richard Knowles became a social media sensation with his pandemic project last December. Beginning Monday night, it’s back on display.
One of the most famous motels in show business has been painstakingly recreated in a spectacular tribute to the award-winning comedy series Schitt’s Creek. The show is based on a once-wealthy family forced to live in their one last remaining asset - a tiny town with a rundown motel.
The “Rosebud Motel" has been recreated in incredible detail by Knowles and is completely different than the motel locals enjoyed in the fall - the Bates Motel from the movie "Psycho" has been taken down and is in storage until next October.
Schitt’s Creek broke records by taking all seven major Emmy’s at the Academy Awards recently and Knowles says the reaction from last December still overwhelms him. The official Instagram account for the TV show posted a ringing endorsement and foot traffic picked up.
Around 200 groups of people showed up in the first week last December, so Knowles is excited to reprise this tribute, with some new touches..
Knowles is a card dealer at a local casino and spent his off hours working on the motel design.
“Just about every piece is had created,” Knowles said. “The tiny chairs and mailbox cam from a store but everything else I figured out and made myself.”
From the doors and windows to the roof and shingles, Knowles measured, cut and painted for weeks to create a truly authentic model of the increasingly famous fictional motel. There’s even a vending machine and room service cart that were all fabricated by hand.
The motel runs the length of the retaining wall outside Knowles' home and is a sidewalk attraction that’s sure to light up the internet again.
“You can just look for the lights of the motel sign,” Knowles laughed.
