| The day had started great: a hearty and | | | | furniture arrived in Lunenburg in mid-August |
| healthy breakfast at the Lunenburg Inn was | | | | and after its arrival they finally had a |
| excellent preparation for a full day of | | | | fully furnished living room without the |
| discovery. During the bright and sunny | | | | nightly furniture move. |
| morning I headed out and went on a walking | | | | |
| tour through Lunenburg, a quaint and scenic | | | | The Lunenburg Inn had been an abandoned |
| town on Nova Scotia's southern coast whose | | | | building, so it needed a lot of work. From |
| unique architectural heritage has garnered it | | | | 1924 to 1979 it had been the "Hillside |
| the coveted UNESCO World Heritage Site | | | | Hotel", a 13-room hotel (with one bathroom!) |
| designation. I capped off my local | | | | next to the town's train station. In the |
| explorations with a visit to the famous | | | | meantime the train service to Lunenburg has |
| Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, a renowned | | | | been discontinued for many years. The |
| museum that celebrates the maritime heritage | | | | property was abandoned for a number of weeks |
| of Nova Scotia. | | | | just prior to being purchased by the previous |
| | | | owners in 1988. When Don and Gail purchased |
| I had big plans for today: a scenic drive | | | | the property in 1995 the building was very |
| along the Lighthouse Trail through scenic | | | | tired and in need of a complete redecoration |
| communities such as Mahone Bay and Peggy's | | | | and upgrading, including furnishings, to |
| Cove to my final destination for today: | | | | bring it up to a 4 1/2 star property. |
| Halifax, Nova Scotia's capital. But before | | | | |
| saying goodbye to this charming town I wanted | | | | During their first winter of 1995 Gail |
| to find out a little bit more about the | | | | stripped every piece of furniture and |
| hospitality entrepreneurs running the | | | | diligently refinished it. All the couches and |
| Lunenburg Inn. I am always interested in the | | | | armchairs were re-upholstered. Don himself |
| people behind the destinations, because the | | | | learned how to fix the plasterwork in this |
| people are really the key factor in any | | | | historic building, and in the dining room the |
| hospitality experience. | | | | couple removed nine layers of wallpaper and |
| | | | four layers of paint, all accumulated over |
| So with my suitcase packed and stashed safely | | | | the years since the building's construction |
| in the car, I sat down with Don and Gail | | | | in 1893. Carpets were torn out and replaced, |
| Wallace, owners of the Lunenburg Inn, to find | | | | floors were refinished. So far in the last 11 |
| out more about their personal story. Don | | | | years, all the rooms have been redecorated at |
| started off by telling me that he had spent | | | | least three times. Don feels very strongly |
| 33 years with a Toronto-based company in the | | | | that a bed and breakfast should never look |
| warehousing and transportation business, | | | | tired. His goal was to make the Lunenburg Inn |
| holding the title of Vice President towards | | | | a warm, comfortable place with upscale |
| the end of his tenure. He felt it was time to | | | | features. |
| make a significant change in his life, so he | | | | |
| and Gail sat down to discuss what options | | | | Now the Lunenburg Inn is in its 12th season |
| they might have. They talked about downsizing | | | | and it is still holding up well. Don and Gail |
| their house and looking at a second career | | | | meanwhile are ready to start their real |
| that they could start together. They also | | | | retirement. Don informed me that about 40% of |
| wanted to relocate away from the Toronto area | | | | bed and breakfast owners do not reopen after |
| and find a place where they would be able to | | | | their third season, another 40% of B&B owners |
| retire. So they started looking further | | | | discontinue their business after 6 years. |
| afield. | | | | Only 5% of B&B owners make it to the 10-year |
| | | | mark. Don adds that running the Lunenburg Inn |
| One day in February of 1995 they noticed an | | | | was "his second and final career", and he and |
| advertisement in the Financial Post for a | | | | Gail had committed to 10 years. Now 11 years |
| place called the "Lunenburg Inn". This struck | | | | later, they are ready to move on into a |
| a chord because both of them had been | | | | well-deserved retirement. |
| dreaming of retiring near the ocean. So Don | | | | |
| picked up the phone and got in touch with the | | | | But this industrious couple did not stop at |
| real estate broker. On a Sunday morning in | | | | being B&B owners: from 1997 to late 2002 they |
| February he flew to Halifax and fell in love | | | | also owned an M&M Meat Shop franchise which |
| with Nova Scotia's South Shore. Don adds that | | | | meant that Gail managed the retail operation |
| Lunenburg was not as pretty as it is today, | | | | while Don together with some hired help ran |
| but even then he recognized the potential of | | | | the bed and breakfast. Gail would be at the |
| this town. He really liked the property a | | | | store every day from 9 am to 6 pm, and Don |
| lot, although it would need a lot of work. So | | | | would handle the ordering and the accounting |
| he phoned Gail to share his positive | | | | for the meat shop in addition to his duties |
| impressions and suggested that they both | | | | at the inn. |
| travel to Lunenburg the following weekend to | | | | |
| see the inn. All the necessary professional | | | | Today, the couple is focusing on the |
| contacts were initiated: the mortgage officer | | | | Lunenburg Inn only. Their day starts at 6 am |
| at the bank, the building inspector, the real | | | | when fresh muffins are baked for up to 19 |
| estate agent and the lawyer who would handle | | | | breakfast guests. Guests can come to |
| the transaction. Don and his wife talked the | | | | breakfast whenever it suits their schedule. |
| idea over with their grown-up children. The | | | | Don and Gail put a lot of effort into |
| following Sunday afternoon there was a | | | | preparing a healthy, filling and attractively |
| meeting with the building inspector, after | | | | prepared breakfast that always includes a lot |
| which Don prepared the offer. On Monday | | | | of fresh fruit. They work with a 7-day |
| morning the mortgage was approved and shortly | | | | rotation for the breakfast so none of the |
| after lunch Don handed the realtor a cheque | | | | guests will get bored of having the same |
| as the downpayment for their retirement plan: | | | | dishes served twice in a row. |
| the Lunenburg Inn. Shortly after his arrival | | | | |
| back in Toronto he received a call from his | | | | Breakfast takes place form 8 to 9:30 am and a |
| realtor that they would now be the proud | | | | helper in the kitchen handles the plate |
| owners of an inn as of May 1, 1995. | | | | layout, coffee and toast. Two housekeepers |
| | | | help with the maintenance and cleaning |
| Ironically, the day that this real estate | | | | chores, and all the laundry for the inn is |
| transaction was completed Don had to go on a | | | | handled in-house. The Lunenburg Inn opens |
| business trip to Vancouver, and he and his | | | | from the beginning of May until late October. |
| colleague went out after work and celebrated | | | | Don and Gail have made a commitment that one |
| with a bottle of wine. It was not until | | | | of them will always sleep in the house when |
| months later that his coworker found out that | | | | the B&B is in operation. The guests may |
| Don had a real reason to celebrate on this | | | | always have potential needs, and it is |
| very day: the beginning of his second career. | | | | important to have a competent contact person |
| | | | on site. |
| Back in Toronto Don wrote a letter of | | | | |
| resignation to his company's president who | | | | Don and Gail are proud of the fact that the |
| was very surprised since he and most people | | | | Lunenburg Inn was the first 4.5 star property |
| in the company had assumed that Don was a | | | | in Lunenburg, a property that combines the |
| "lifer", i.e. that he would spend the rest of | | | | "warmth of home" with Victorian charm. 75% of |
| his working life at this company. Don gave 6 | | | | their business stems from repeat customers |
| months notice and would leave his position as | | | | and referrals, evidence of their commitment |
| Vice-President by the end of August. This | | | | to an outstanding hospitality experience. |
| gave the couple sufficient time to organize | | | | |
| garage sales to get rid of unwanted furniture | | | | Personally, they live in a separate private |
| in Toronto. On April 28 their van left at 5 | | | | apartment on the lower level of the inn, and |
| am, packed up their goods and arrived in | | | | during the winter season they like to spend |
| Lunenburg on April 30. Don had booked two | | | | time with their children and go to South |
| weeks of vacation and his son came along to | | | | Carolina for a couple of weeks. There is |
| spend his summer in Lunenburg - a perfect | | | | always stuff to be done around the inn, and |
| arrangement since Don still had to wrap up | | | | winter is the perfect time for redecorating |
| his last few months with his company in | | | | or upgrades. Don also likes to go curling |
| Toronto. | | | | about four to five mornings in the week |
| | | | during the winter. |
| So from May onwards Gail and their son Drew | | | | |
| started to operate the bed and breakfast. | | | | The Lunenburg Inn is currently listed for |
| Their daughter came to join them in July, she | | | | sale. Neither Don nor Gail are in a rush to |
| had just finished her last year of high | | | | sell the property, and they realize that it |
| school and was starting a degree at Wilfred | | | | is going to take a special buyer who is going |
| Laurier University in September. Don was able | | | | to be interested in running this inn. |
| to leave his position early since by the end | | | | Sometimes it could take as much as three to |
| of July a replacement had been hired. So on | | | | five years to sell a property like this. Don |
| August 1 the entire family was united in | | | | and Gail indicated that once the inn sells, |
| Lunenburg. | | | | they will stay in Lunenburg, and buy a simple |
| | | | family home. They enjoy the weather here: |
| The Lunenburg Inn was furnished when Don and | | | | summers are less hot and humid than in |
| Gail purchased it but the owners had taken | | | | Ontario, and there is less snow and rain. |
| personal pieces that had been used in the | | | | Gail adds that during the first four years in |
| inn. The living room was very sparse and some | | | | Lunenburg she did not even need winter boots. |
| rooms were missing chairs and tables. So for | | | | And falls are simply gorgeous in this quaint |
| the first few weeks, Gail and her son Drew | | | | community. |
| embarked on a nightly routine of furniture | | | | |
| moving: they needed to provide a full | | | | I realized that here was a couple who had |
| compliment to those rooms rented for the | | | | made some very strategic, well thought-out |
| night with the remaining furniture decorating | | | | decisions about their retirement. They knew |
| the living room for that night. That meant | | | | exactly where they were going and what their |
| that furniture pieces continuously had to be | | | | next step was going to be. Few of us are so |
| moved around from one room to another. They | | | | lucky as to have such a clear idea of where |
| had decided to leave their Toronto-area house | | | | life is going to take us. With these thoughts |
| furnished while Don still lived there and to | | | | in mind I thanked Don and Gail for their warm |
| improve the chances of selling it. It was | | | | hospitality, and set off to continue my |
| sold only in late July (with a mid-August | | | | journey along the Lighthouse Trail to |
| closing) and Don had the moving company pack | | | | Halifax. |
| everything up in the last week of July. The | | | | |