Piney Woods Truck Stop reopens

Destroyed by 2002 tornado

Business Today

ELLSINORE -- When a tornado leveled the Piney Woods Truck Stop and the adjacent Cedar Inn in April 2002, the only thing left were the gas pumps. Instead of being defeated by the destruction of their business, owners Marilyn and Bob Collins made the best of the situation. They went on selling gas without a building.

"We set up a trailer out by the pumps , and we set up coolers to sell beer and stuff out of," said Bob Collins. "It was a wreck, but it all came out well."

The resolve paid off. When the truck stop reopened Dec. 6, it was bigger and better than before.

Before the tornado, the truck stop and the inn provided a stopping point for travelers, truckers and locals. Located just west of Ellsinore on Highway 60, the truck stop sold diesel and gas, and the inn provided a resting point for weary drivers.

The Collinses decided to turn the tragic destruction of their business into an opportunity to improve and enlarge the facilities.

"Before the tornado took us out, it felt like we were getting crowded," said Bob Collins. "We wanted to grow into (the new building), not grow out of it. You can never have too much room."

The truck stop has more than doubled in square footage. The added space provides room for a cafe, an entertainment area with pool tables and a large-screen TV, and a shower area for truckers and hunters. A varied selection of hand-crafted furniture and crafts fill the remaining space.

The motel adjoining the truck stop has increased from 11 to 20 rooms. The new rooms are larger and offer amenities such as whirlpool baths. A crafts studio and an RV hook-up area are under construction, and more gas pumps are on the way.

"We can't complain about business," said Marilyn Collins. "Business has more than doubled since we rebuilt. We want to keep it growing."

The only thing the Collinses are worried about is the threat of being stranded when Highway 60 expands to four lanes. According to Bob Collins, MoDOT does not plan to a install a cross-over in front of the truck stop, effectively cutting off it from westbound traffic.

The Piney Woods Truck Stop is open 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week.