In a world where even people who struggle to get by move up to a bigger house every few years, one near-billionaire has made a much different choice. It’s not hard to believe that the man behind Internet shoe sensation, Zappos, who only owns four pairs of shoes himself, does things a bit differently. But, when you see where he lives, it may still come as a bit of a shock.
CEO Tony Hsieh could easily afford a penthouse apartment in downtown Vegas, where he has invested hundreds of millions in redevelopment. But out of the nine other places he has lived in his life, Tony prefers a tiny trailer park, in a 240 square foot Airstream. The park, near downtown Vegas, is a tight-knit community and Tony is proud to call it home.
Tony Hsieh and the Airstream he calls home, sweet home.
Tony’s trailer is a bargain in more ways than one, costing him a mere $950 a month – one way he maintains his more than $800 million dollar fortune.
The park itself sits back off the strip, surrounded by palm trees and a low, stucco wall on one side with the wide Nevada desert sky spreading out above it.
Inside the walls, thirty trailers sit, spaced out to give them plenty of privacy. The back end of the park opens up to gorgeous, desert mesa views…the kind you see on postcards.
The Vegas RV park where Hsieh keeps his home on wheels.
The trailer itself is nice, but not extravagant. It’s no Special Edition Airstream. The modern feeling décor, with polished aluminum walls and ceiling to match its outside, looks plain with a bit of wear and tear showing.
The trailer has an open central hallway, common to Airstreams, with a large convertible sofa at the nose and a nice, full sized kitchen amidships, across from a very nice dinette.
A view toward the bedroom.
That’s not to say that the trailer is devoid of customization. It features gorgeous, blond, hardwood floors, granite countertops, and touches like an extra large kitchen sink. The upper “airliner” style storage has been upgraded too, with white frosted glass fronts that are backlit to provide a modern touch of style.
The custom kitchen and a view of the sitting area.
Behind the kitchen is the bath and at the rear of the trailer is a secluded bedroom, featuring a double bed.
Built-in LED puck lights throughout the cabin give an open, airy feel. Light woodwork also adds to the illusion of space and everything seems to be well thought out and in its place.
From the no-fuss interior, it’s obvious Mr. Hsieh likes a simple living space, much like the spartan office he works in, alongside colleagues. Not a bad trade for a busy, overstuffed penthouse if you ask me.
A view from Hsieh’s Airstream out into the Nevada desert.
