MONROE — Roadside attraction The Reptile Zoo in Monroe is scheduled to close on Oct 18, prompting a last-minute rush of visitors to see the attraction that has been in business for nearly three decades.

I came for one last look,” said Todd Dusenberry, who arrived on his motorcycle with four other riders from Bellingham on August 19.

The 55-year-old said he first discovered the attraction four or five years ago and liked viewing the animals. But he said the atmosphere made the 7,000-square-foot attraction one of a kind.

“It’s kind of kitschy, the cages are handmade, it’s not like you’re going to a zoo where everything is uniform,” he said. “It’s a roadside attraction, and they are disappearing.”

Reptile zoo owner Isaac Petersen blames an uncertain economy for the planned closure.

Pet

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