Don't forget to set your scales back ten pounds next week.
About Us
Our Story
In 1991 our founder, Sandy Rogers, decided to head southwest from Omaha, Ne. with her young teenage son and purchased a store in Why, Az. The name of the store was the Why-Not Travel Store. The store sold propane, gas, food, refreshments, and nik-naks that were mostly locally produced. In the parking lot was a hot grill in the shape of a bull that was used to cook hamburgers and other items.
Over the years, she increased the size of the store, affiliated the fuel products with Texaco, installed storage units, and increased the products the store could offer. Of course, as with any business, there were good times and bad. In the good times she reinvested into the store and gave back to the community, and in bad times Sandy, who was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock (re: a strong work ethic), persevered. She hired locally and several of her hires still work for us.
Sadly in 2013, Sandy unexpectedly passed away. Today the store is owned by her two sons, Allen and Cortney Wonder, and although she is missed, her legacy continues. "The Why Not Travel Store" has undergone some major remodeling. The Deli area was increased in size and now offers a large selection of products and refreshments, a walk-in cooler/freezer was added to increase the size of our cold and frozen offerings. New bathrooms were added and the store inside/outside appearances have been enhanced with murals and water features. Why Not stop by?
Why Not's World Famous Fountain Truck (Fountruck)
Discovery - 1938 Ford Pickup in the desert.
🎶On the road again🎶
Truck installed over the pool.
The store logo painted on each door.
Plumbing hooked up and later, plants added.
Murals
Murals adorn your stopping experience at The Why Not. We have a large mural on our marquis, as well as murals on other buildings. All murals were painted by Heidi Sallows. The marquis mural, unofficially called "The Three Sisters", has a story behind it in that profiles of Heidi's two aunts and her mother are blended into the mountainscape. Heidi is the cousin of the Wonder boys and a niece of Sandy Rogers.
In 2018, the mural above the store was refurbished due to the hot Arizona sun taking it's toll on the original work. The colors were made deeper and richer to resemble a setting sun motif. (Photo date: 2021)
On the side of the store is our "dia de los Muertos" or Day of the dead mural. Two things to note here are that Sandy is at the far left sewing a quilt, one of her many hobbies, and the vehicle to the right of the mural is, you guessed it, a '38 Ford pickup.
We can honestly say, hands down, that we have the most beautiful restroom building in all of Arizona (and maybe the Southwest!} There are several murals on this building, The battle-torn Arizona flag; The "Greetings from Why..."; and the desert scenes with the painted horse or as we call it "The Horse With No Name"