New user introducing herself: notAgrandma

Hello everyone,
I'm not sure where to post an introduction, but here goes.... A friend recommended that I join innspiring to receive input, advice, and support from our fellow innkeepers. Since I didn't see a forum named "Welcome" or "inn-troductions", I jumped right into posting for helpful advice. It was certainly a learning experience.
About me: I have a BS in microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin. My husband and I bought our B&B 6 years ago. I chose the screen name "notAgrandma" because I was in my 30's when we started this adventure. For the first few years, I was regularly asked, "Where are the owners?" I've even had older guests blurt out, "My goodness, you're so young!" before they even stepped over our threshold. It might sound flattering, but it implies that I'm not mature enough to own a business. Ageism exists.
About our inn: We own a 130-year-old house in an urban setting in the midwestern US. We have 5 rooms. About half of our guests travel from within a 5-hour drive, the remainder fly into our city. We don't see many international guests, but those that stay with us quickly learn that we're not in a "fly-over" city. We have guests traveling for concerts, sporting events, conventions, sightseeing, and even some "stay-cations".
I guess folks will learn more about me as we interact on the forums. I tend to have a bit of a fiery personality, being an Aires and born in the year of the dragon. I am an INTJ, if that means anything to folks

Welcome notAgrandma, hope you will find a family home here on the forum, of course like most families we don't always agree, but like family I feel my fellow innmates care about me and have my best interests at heart, several have gone far out of their way to offer me help and I'm the odd ball that runs a tiny motel.
Be proud that you're successful at an early age, I'd venture that most guests are just making conversation or surprised by your early success, me, I'd swap ages in a heart beat, we have a granddaughter in her 30's, not exactly fun reaching the downhill point in life, but I still enjoy.

I'm Generic. Other half is Specific. Packaging is pretty B&W. And just when you get used to me, I change my username on here to confuse people. Or I post a fly that moves on your screen so you swat it

Generic said:

I'm Generic. Other half is Specific. Packaging is pretty B&W. And just when you get used to me, I change my username on here to confuse people. Or I post a fly that moves on your screen so you swat it .

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Yeah, if this is one big, happy family, you're the pesky kid brother. ;-)

Welcome aboard. I'm also in the Midwest with a 4 room place that I started from scratch. I owe 100% of my success from asking and following the advice garnered here. It took me 30 years to make the switch to innkeeping so you're ahead of me there.
Sorry I don't give out much advice anymore but I have made many friends on this forum. Hope you'll stick around.

Hello notAgrandma and the rest of you innmates!
New to the forum and a new B&B owner. I've been lurking and learning for a few weeks now, so I decided to jump in and introduce myself too.
I'm a practicing Doctor of Chiropractic in Atlanta GA, and my wife will be leaving her corporate America job to run our newly purchased B&B in Tybee Island, Savannah GA.
About the Lighthouse Inn, the previous owners renovated a 1910 Lieutenants home in historic Fort Screven 17 years ago. The Inn has three bedrooms and is only 100 yards from the Tybee lighthouse.
It sure is nice to have a forum/family of Innkeepers to share and get advice from. I look forward to being an active member and I hope my wife joins as well.
Many thanks for all the information, Dr "B"

Psych Major here. Fiery personalities tend to be forthright. Like. Am happily a grandma though.

Innkeep said:

Welcome aboard. I'm also in the Midwest with a 4 room place that I started from scratch. I owe 100% of my success from asking and following the advice garnered here. It took me 30 years to make the switch to innkeeping so you're ahead of me there.
Sorry I don't give out much advice anymore but I have made many friends on this forum. Hope you'll stick around..

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Innkeep said:

I owe 100% of my success from asking and following the advice garnered here.

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I'll echo Innkeep on that statement. 2 inn rooms to start but have added 2 separate vacation rentals and am currently minding another for a friend. My top advice applies to neither of you:
Have a kitchen you can close off and lock.
Have a 'public' restroom near your front door.
Two top pieces of advice we heeded before we started:
Private baths are a must. Waterproof mattress covers are a must.
Our tenth anniv is this week.
Still enjoying.

Welcome notagrandma and Doc.
I am the office job half of a couple who bought a 6 room B&B on the North Shore of Boston 4 years ago. Most of our friends thought we were crazy. Some still do. Some have come around. He runs the inn. I commute to a sterile, climate controlled, fancy office in the city. I wish every single day that I could be back at the inn. I'll make it someday.
I'm here for the stories. And recipes. I'm astounded when I see pictures of our first year breakfast presentation, at how far we've come and how much we've learned.
I almost didn't stay when I first got here because some harsh criticism was applied. But I've managed to make some friends, piss some people off and laugh a bit.

Morticia said:

Generic said:

I'm Generic. Other half is Specific. Packaging is pretty B&W. And just when you get used to me, I change my username on here to confuse people. Or I post a fly that moves on your screen so you swat it .

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Yeah, if this is one big, happy family, you're the pesky kid brother. ;-)
.

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Yeah, well...

Thanks, everyone! @Doc B - I love Tybee Island! We visited it when my husband was traveling for work. He's an aerospace engineer & had to go to Gulfstream's HQ in Savannah. Such a beautiful area!
@TheBeachHouse - my other half still works a desk job, too. We'd love it if he could quit, but health care is so expensive & we need him to keep contributing to his 401K.
@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!
@JimBoone - thank you for the kudos! & @Momma Smurf - thank you for understanding. Kids were never in the stars for us, but that doesn't keep folks from asking why don't we have them! Guess that's the midwest for you

notAgrandma said:

Thanks, everyone! @Doc B - I love Tybee Island! We visited it when my husband was traveling for work. He's an aerospace engineer & had to go to Gulfstream's HQ in Savannah. Such a beautiful area!
@TheBeachHouse - my other half still works a desk job, too. We'd love it if he could quit, but health care is so expensive & we need him to keep contributing to his 401K.
@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!
@JimBoone - thank you for the kudos! & @Momma Smurf - thank you for understanding. Kids were never in the stars for us, but that doesn't keep folks from asking why don't we have them! Guess that's the midwest for you .

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People ask? That's so RUDE!

notAgrandma said:

Thanks, everyone! @Doc B - I love Tybee Island! We visited it when my husband was traveling for work. He's an aerospace engineer & had to go to Gulfstream's HQ in Savannah. Such a beautiful area!
@TheBeachHouse - my other half still works a desk job, too. We'd love it if he could quit, but health care is so expensive & we need him to keep contributing to his 401K.
@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!
@JimBoone - thank you for the kudos! & @Momma Smurf - thank you for understanding. Kids were never in the stars for us, but that doesn't keep folks from asking why don't we have them! Guess that's the midwest for you .

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Our apartment is separated from the inn by a door with a deadbolt that gets locked when we are out of the house or going to bed. I've never had someone just walk in. Yikes.

TheBeachHouse said:

notAgrandma said:

Thanks, everyone! @Doc B - I love Tybee Island! We visited it when my husband was traveling for work. He's an aerospace engineer & had to go to Gulfstream's HQ in Savannah. Such a beautiful area!
@TheBeachHouse - my other half still works a desk job, too. We'd love it if he could quit, but health care is so expensive & we need him to keep contributing to his 401K.
@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!
@JimBoone - thank you for the kudos! & @Momma Smurf - thank you for understanding. Kids were never in the stars for us, but that doesn't keep folks from asking why don't we have them! Guess that's the midwest for you .

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Our apartment is separated from the inn by a door with a deadbolt that gets locked when we are out of the house or going to bed. I've never had someone just walk in. Yikes.
.

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Oh, we have living quarters that are entirely separate from our main house, too. Our living quarters are a full 700 sq.ft. apt with our own separate kitchen. We have a huge kitchen in our main house dedicated exclusively to the B&B. Unfortunately, the previous owners didn't have the foresight to put a real door on the B&B kitchen when they remodeled. They also were foolish to put a desk in the kitchen. Since our apt is small, I'm pretty much forced to use the desk in the kitchen for all of my B&B paperwork.

notAgrandma said:

Thanks, everyone! @Doc B - I love Tybee Island! We visited it when my husband was traveling for work. He's an aerospace engineer & had to go to Gulfstream's HQ in Savannah. Such a beautiful area!
@TheBeachHouse - my other half still works a desk job, too. We'd love it if he could quit, but health care is so expensive & we need him to keep contributing to his 401K.
@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!
@JimBoone - thank you for the kudos! & @Momma Smurf - thank you for understanding. Kids were never in the stars for us, but that doesn't keep folks from asking why don't we have them! Guess that's the midwest for you .

Click to expand...

notAgrandma said:

@Skamokawa - I wish I'd locked off my kitchen from the beginning. There's a pocket door dividing it from the rest of the B&B. I've had guests borrow things off of my desk, use my computer to charge their cell phone, eat the baked goods that I prepared for the following morning, and (the best one) use one of my gas burners to light a cigarette that he smoked in his room -- and he left the burner on!!! I finally installed a chain lock, but it was possible to reach in if you opened the door & slide the chain over. I had a very drunk guest ignore the "PRIVATE - STAFF ONLY" sign and he unlocked the door anyway, then put his White Castle leftovers in our fridge instead of the one in his room. Now there's a padlock to shorten the chain. It's shocking what some folks will do!

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We also have a pocket door for a kitchen door. We put a slider bolt on it. The main part of the lock is attached to the door frame and then we put a hole in our side of the pocket door. Slides in and out really easily and keeps the door completely closed.

Doc B said:

Hello notAgrandma and the rest of you innmates!
New to the forum and a new B&B owner. I've been lurking and learning for a few weeks now, so I decided to jump in and introduce myself too.
I'm a practicing Doctor of Chiropractic in Atlanta GA, and my wife will be leaving her corporate America job to run our newly purchased B&B in Tybee Island, Savannah GA.
About the Lighthouse Inn, the previous owners renovated a 1910 Lieutenants home in historic Fort Screven 17 years ago. The Inn has three bedrooms and is only 100 yards from the Tybee lighthouse.
It sure is nice to have a forum/family of Innkeepers to share and get advice from. I look forward to being an active member and I hope my wife joins as well.
Many thanks for all the information, Dr "B".

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Oh, Tybee Island! We stayed there many years ago, around the corner from where you are. B&B was part of the old military hospital, I think.

Welcome! I'm one of the babies on this forum due to my age. We are a big happy family for most of the time so join in and step into the "picking order".

Welcome to both of our 'newbies'!
We just started our 17th year of innkeeping. We're located along the coast in the Pacific Northwest. We're not a traditional style b&b since our niche is romantic getaway and offer a very private experience for our guests. Breakfast is delivered to their door and very rarely do our couples interact with each other.
All of us here try to respect that there is no 1 right answer to questions/problems, but sometimes but you'll definitely get information without the rose colored glasses.
I'm looking forward to hearing about your experiences and questions!

Doc B said:

Hello notAgrandma and the rest of you innmates!
New to the forum and a new B&B owner. I've been lurking and learning for a few weeks now, so I decided to jump in and introduce myself too.
I'm a practicing Doctor of Chiropractic in Atlanta GA, and my wife will be leaving her corporate America job to run our newly purchased B&B in Tybee Island, Savannah GA.
About the Lighthouse Inn, the previous owners renovated a 1910 Lieutenants home in historic Fort Screven 17 years ago. The Inn has three bedrooms and is only 100 yards from the Tybee lighthouse.
It sure is nice to have a forum/family of Innkeepers to share and get advice from. I look forward to being an active member and I hope my wife joins as well.
Many thanks for all the information, Dr "B".

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Welcome Doc B
We enjoy the cooler mountain air these days, but Savannah will always be considered home and we try to visit a few times a year to see friends and family. Picture is of mom and I near the south end of Tybee in the mid-40's.

Hope you enjoy this forum and the members as much as I have since joining a few years ago.

Hello to both of you.