My dad and step-mom operated a three room B&B on Center Hill Lake in TN for a few years. They are very hospitable and very much enjoyed their guests but found that they were busier than they actually wanted to be. Good problem to have. After having the experience of operating Davis-Bourne with all aspects of it, I don't think that I personally could go back to the "simplicity" of a 2-3 room B&B.
At some such time that the stars align, we would love to reopen Davis Bourne Inn but only if we have the funding to repurchase the property mortgage free and have the extra cash needed to make improvements. Then it would be a financially viable proposition and a destination asset for the community. We would operate the bed and breakfast and offer weddings and events. I don't see myself reopening Journey's End Restaurant, at least not as a full time restaurant dependent upon support from the community. Maybe as bi-monthly special dinners or music in the parlor events but...then again...
The problem with a "part-time" restaurant mindset is being able to hire good, dependable staff. Good people need good jobs, all the time. The community is too small to utilize a temp agency and besides, labor from a temp agency is just that, labor. People to pass plates, fill drinks, do tasks. If you are looking to be in the inn-timate hospitality business then you want real employees with real personalities that really care about the business. Those folks are hard to find and I have had a few of those in my time but that is a post for another day.Weddings are reasonably profitable but require a lot of planning and a lot of physical work. I wish I had a dollar for every chair I had schlepped, every table I had moved... I could certainly purchase DBI back mortgage free. There are multiple levels of involvement at a wedding venue that you can have. You can simply rent space out such as a carriage house, a lawn or like banquet space and just set parameters for tents, setup times, caterers, etc and let a wedding planner or coordinator worry with making sure tables are properly set-up, caterers are on time and that every spoon is polished. Or you could own the chairs and tables, make arrangements for the perfect shade of plum table linens, prepare the food and direct all the setup. This was, for me, the most profitable aspect but also the most work. Brides and grooms who don't have to rent tables, chairs, etc will pay more for the venue.
As you recall from my first post, my original "idea" was for a B&B with a tea room. Great idea but not generally a profitable one. For the most part, tea rooms draw Red Hat Ladies and other luncheon groups and the profit margin on twenty $10 lunches is minimal at best. Volume is where the money is at for most restaurants. At DBI, I projected that an average of 35 covers (dinners) a meal would be a reasonable break even paying all expenses but we just couldn't get it there consistently enough, especially after the economy turned in 2008.
I would steer clear of white linen table cloth style service and lean more toward a less is more environment if I were to reopen Journey's End Restaurant. More fun, less fluff. I waited tables for a summer at a neat little spot on St. Simons Island. Great concept. Butcher paper on the tables with a cup of crayons for the kids and kids at heart. Fun music playing. Open atmosphere.
And no laundry to deal with.
Were money not an object, we would finish the 100+ year old carriage house into banquet space and add the first set of Treetop Cottages. The cottages would add B&B handicapped accessibility and double the guest room occupancy.
Money aside, time is the biggest constraint for the level of commitment. Even a small, B&B operation ties you down, especially on weekends. A larger operation with a well developed staff will allow you the best opportunity for an escape. Well developed being the key words.
When deciding on the type of operation and therefore, the level of commitment, make a list with your spouse, partner or family of the different considerations. Here are some questions to consider...
1. Am I willing to give up my weekends? Am I willing to forgo weekend events such as festivals, concerts and such? Will I operate seasonally or year around?
2. Who is going to be responsible for this adventure? If the family is going to be involved, on what level? Tread very likely when working with a spouse or other family. It takes a very special combination of personalities to get along daily in such an intimate setting. Defined, written of each persons responsibilities is a must.
3. Am I purchasing an established business with a web site and social media in place? If not, do I have the capital to make all financial obligations for 1-2 years? Although the grand opening of a restaurant can generate an immediate boost of revenue, it usually only lasts 60-90 days before the new wears off. A new B&B will take some time and dedicated marketing to fill the rooms regularly. Always join your local and state tourism bureaus and the premier B&B association in your state. Weddings take even longer to develop an audience. You can pick up a few local bookings for special events fairly quickly but large weddings will take time to develop.
4. If you will need employees, is there a local base to draw from? For restaurant and special events, teachers make great part time employees. Check with the area high school guidance counselor for referrals of responsible, industrious students for many positions. Keep in mind that ABC and food safety laws may limit the positions that those under 18 can fill.
5. Is there a progressive tourism bureau and a well staffed visitors center?
6. Money...are you willing to operate on a shoestring, doing all the work yourself or do you have some capital over and above initial opening needs such as furnishings, permits and licensing, insurance, etc to carry you through?
This is just a minimal list of questions that you should ask yourself. Regardless of your level of commitment, should you truly have the hospitality gene, I believe you will find a B&B a rewarding experience.
