‘They’re going to live on in the smiles and the memories in the lives of other people’: Joyland hosts final auction

LUBBOCK, Texas — Joyland is down to bits and pieces and is auctioning off the rest in its final auction open to the public.

Owners David and Kristi Dean announced in 2022, that the park would not reopen under new ownership after the buyers backed out of a deal that would have saved the park.

“They did have every indication that they were going to reopen with somebody else as the owners, and that didn’t happen,” said David Hodges, owner of West Texas Auction. “So you can imagine that they did not sell everything back then that was used to operate the facility, they did sell the rides, but everything else is still here.”

Hodges said he has been tagging every item left in the park, and they are ready to sell all 2,000 lots for good.

Hodges said the auction will be held May 28th and 29th starting at 10 AM and each item will start at $5. It will be an online auction.

Hodges said the items left at the park are essentially everything you need to run an amusement park, minus the rides.

“There were things that you would use to operate the rides, as far as tools, there’s golf carts that were used to ride from one end of the park to the other, there are lots of lawn tools that were used to maintain the lawn,” Hodges said.

Hodges said there are industrial items as well including concession stand signs, supplies and paper goods that can be used by other businesses.

For those looking to get their hands on something smaller, collector’s items and memorabilia will also be available.

“There are lots of T-shirts, there are lots of sweatshirts, there are lots of magnets that are collectible items, which are land that you won’t be able to get again,” Hodges said.

The sale marks the end of an era for the Dean family. Kristy Dean is now the sole owner of the park after her husband David Dean lost his battle with cancer last February.

Now, the rides her husband used to operate and work on have been sold and scattered all over the country, something she said is bittersweet.

“It’s been tiring, there’s been a lot to do, but I think my goal has always been to make him proud and he would be very proud to see that the rides and the memories and the things that joy land are going to continue on in Lubbock and continue on at other places across the nation and across the world,” Kristy said.

Kristy said she enjoyed seeing all the people who came through the doors the 35 years she had been at Joyland and the effect it had on their lives.

“We have employed kids and they have gone on to marry and then have kids and then they’ve gone on to marry and have kids, so we have employed three generations, we’ve been here long enough to do that and it has been amazing just to watch that,” Kristy said.

Kristy said the community is what kept Joyland going all these years and their family will always be grateful for that.

Kristy said she had many people reach out about getting a piece of Joyland to hold on to forever, and she is hoping this auction gives everyone the chance to do that because she knows that’s what her husband would have wanted.

“They’re going to live on in the smiles and the memories in the lives of other people and that’s all he would have wanted and that’s that’s all I can ask for,” said Kristy.

The park will hold its final preview day on May 24th, from 1 pm-6 pm to look at any auction items in person.

Hodges said when the auction is over, they will send an email on when to pick up items at the park. To view the auction site and items, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com.