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Forget Brooklyn – Pioneertown is the new rustic hotspot. Over the past few years, a sleepy ghost town has had a major revival from artistic entrepreneurs.
Young professionals and couples have made the move to California’s desert oasis to buy property, start businesses and find a creative community. Many of these newly-established residents wanted to escape the Los Angeles lifestyle. Only two hours away from the second most populated U.S. metropolis, Pioneertown provides a simpler lifestyle from the big city bustle.
Hipster artisans sought the SoCal Old West for a change in scenery to one full of dust and free of stress. The sprawling acres offer a blank slate. Indie musicians, vintage fashionistas and organic chefs have taken their talents into the heat, transforming the dry area into a booming “it” town blooming with tunes, fashion and food. Together the contemporary locals have cultivated quite a youthful promised land.
Thanks to the French brothers, hip kids don’t have to pack up their old lifestyles and change their zip codes to taste test the magic of the area. The Pioneertown Motel serves as the makeshift home for curious men and women. Matt and Mike French decided to invest in the fallen architecture and create a modern space for bohemian babes.
Matt, 32, and Mike, 27, stumbled upon the town on a family trip and were immediately intrigued by the area’s potential. They teamed up in 2014 to revamp the wood planked inn. The motelmen hope their business will inspire others to unplug, de-stress and soak up the pioneer lifestyle.
“We want to be the door to the desert,” Mike told The New York Times.
Their website boasts Insta-worthy snapshots full of Americana vibes and their motel promises a minimalistic paradise perfect for a weekend getaway. While known for its unique seclusion quality, the area is fairly near Joshua Tree and Indio, catering to both campers and music fanatics. In fact, Coachella season overbooked the one-story motel this year.
The young town has repurposed the Old West into an edgy trend. With an influx of residents and visitors flocking to the area, Pioneertown may emerge as the ultimate hipster sanctuary. Just don’t tell too many people or the area will lose its charm – and its indie cred.
