Buying “a piece of hell” is no longer just a cliché. A part of Hell, a small and eccentric tourist destination in Michigan, went on sale for $625,000, with a proposal as striking as its name: the package includes a themed ice cream parlor, a souvenir shop, a mini golf course and even a wedding chapel.

The property is in an unincorporated Livingston County community, about 20 miles northwest of Ann Arbor and about 50 miles from Detroit. The place is known as the “Gateway to Hell” and for years it became a mandatory stop for tourists looking for photos, souvenirs and the experience of saying that they went “to hell and back.”

What does the sale include?

The property for sale occupies 7 acres, of which about 3.5 acres are developed. The site includes a souvenir shop, an ice cream parlor called The Creamatory, a themed mini golf and a wedding chapel. Two buildings are also part of the listing: a vacant restaurant of approximately 2,000 square feet and an active retail location of approximately 1,644 square feet.

The business was developed by John Colone, an 80-year-old owner who decided to sell to retire. Colone opened the attraction in 1998 and turned the town's name into a tourist brand based on dark humor, puns and curious experiences.

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A tourist destination built around its name

Hell is neither a big city nor a traditional theme park. Its appeal lies in the absurdity: sending postcards “from hell,” eating ice cream at The Creamatory, buying souvenirs with infernal phrases, playing mini golf, and getting married in a chapel where the site itself promotes the idea that a marriage that begins in Hell “can only get better.”

Michigan's official tourist site describes Hell as a “quirky” destination, known for its devilish humor, playful attractions and the chance to come home with a different story: having been to Hell and coming back.

How much does the business bill?

The sale does not include just a tourist curiosity. The property generated $327,000 in gross income in 2024, a fact that reinforces its profile as an active tourism business, not just a real estate rarity.

The proposal relies on several small income sources: souvenirs, ice cream, mini golf, events, weddings, tourist visits and themed experiences. That model helps explain why such a small place managed to sustain itself as a travel stop for decades.

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Why is it called Hell?

The name of the town is part of its legend. The community has existed since 1838 and the name was officially adopted three years later. Over time, Hell transformed that toponymic rarity into its main tourist engine.

The climate also fuels the myth: in winter, temperatures can drop below zero, so the famous phrase “when Hell freezes over” can become literally true in Michigan.

A perfect place for travelers looking for rarities

Hell serves as a short getaway for those touring Michigan or looking for offbeat destinations near Ann Arbor and Detroit. It does not compete with large parks or tourist cities; Its charm lies in the opposite: a small, photogenic, ironic and easy to remember stop.

For the right buyer, the deal is not just land and buildings. It is a brand with its own name, an already established history and a flow of visitors attracted by a simple promise: spend some time in Hell without suffering too much.