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