A sign apparently from the former landmark will be at the new Truck Yard. But it’s not the original, company spokesperson Alyssa Wood said. It’s a replica.
“We really wanted to draw on nostalgia for the loss of that historic building and sign,” Wood said.
Truck Yard is opening in Richardson on Sept. 1. The company is known for its backyard party vibe, live music and food trucks. Other features include eccentric decor, a dog and family-friendly environment and craft beers and cocktails.
Under the company’s opening announcement posts on social media, many wondered about the Como Motel sign and if Truck Yard had salvaged it from the historic site.
Built in the 1950s, the Como Motel held a rich history for Richardson. Sitting just off U.S. Highway 75, it catered to a new generation of Americans traveling by car in the post-war period. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, famous for landing an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River, was once a guest there.
More notoriously, the motel was the meet-up spot for Candy Montgomery and Allan Gore during their affair. Montgomery killed Gore’s wife, Betty, in 1980, striking her 41 times with an ax, but was later acquitted by a jury — a turn of events that was recently turned into true crime shows on HBO Max and Hulu.
It also became integral to the Richardson community, sponsoring local Little League Baseball teams and gaining many admirers over the years. So when talk of its potential demolition came about in 2023, several neighbors banded together to save it.
Later that year, The Dallas Morning News reported that the 12,000-square-foot motel was sold to Houston-based Pappas Restaurants, which owns the nearby eateries, Pappasito’s Cantina and Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.
Como Motel was ultimately approved for demolition in 2025 following asbestos remediation, other outlets reported.
Truck Yard will be located across the highway from where the motel once stood.