The Windmill brings fresh air to Olney

Two days after he took possession of the old Pipeliner Inn, rancher Jake Randall began transforming it into his vision for “a safe and clean” place to stay in Olney instead of a seedy old motel on the edge of town.

Mr. Randall, formerly of Azle, completed his purchase of the motel on Aug. 1, and two days later had Rafter D Mobile Washing removing 30 years’ worth of grime from the stucco walls, while another crew started rehabbing the interior.

Mr. Randall has been coming to Olney since his father took him hunting on local leases when he was a boy. He recently purchased a farm at Self and Schlegel roads and planned to move his horse training operations there from Keller and Azle.

He said he became interested in buying the motel after noticing the lack of accommodations for visitors to Olney.

Mr. Randall said he plans to update the property a little at a time so that he can make changes that make sense for the community.

He plans on adding a combination of renovations that will cater to hunters who come to the area each season for the game-rich leases, as well as people who work in Olney and are looking for long-term rentals.

“Safety and cleanliness are my number one goal as I take over the hotel,” he said. “I have big hopes and dreams for the hotel but I’m trying to be realistic as well,” He said he appreciates all the support he has gotten from the community and says everyone has been kind and helpful.

Locals have long bemoaned the dilapidated hotel at 401 E. Main St. as a haven for drugs and crime, and that it was the first thing visitors saw when they drove into Olney.

Olney Police successfully interrupted drug operations at the motel after Police Chief Dan Birbeck arrived in 2020. A.D. Patel, who owned the motel for 30 years, sold it to Mr. Randall after complaining that the City’s new $35 water surcharge on each room made the property unprofitable.

For information on The Windmill please follow their Facebook page: The Windmill - Extended & Short-Term Stays.