Ever thought about working with your spouse? Believe it or not, 72% of inns in the USA are owned by couples (source). We didn’t always work together, so we wanted to share our personal story with you and give you a bit more insight than what’s on our website.
The journey to the 1899 Wright Inn was quite the adventure. We both grew up in Massachusetts and started our ( life together) in high school. After a few years of dating, we got married and, like many couples, started building our careers and family. Fast forward to June 2024, and here we are celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary at the Wright Inn, five years after buying this historic Asheville property. This year also marks the inn’s 125th anniversary!
So, how did we end up at the 1899 Wright Inn? My background (Sheri) is in government, human resources, and event planning, while Chris has a strong foundation in the construction industry and a degree in electrical engineering – a perfect combo for running an Asheville bed and breakfast. Plus, we’ve renovated and remodeled many homes together, so we knew we could restore this beauty to its original charm. And we love working on renovation projects – we make a great team!
After a few moves up and down the East Coast, we decided it was time for a career change. We started searching for a bed and breakfast, hoping to combine our skills and passions while working together. Asheville, NC, ended up being our perfect spot. Why? Out of all the places we visited, the 1899 Wright Inn was the one we couldn’t stop thinking about. After just one night at the inn, we both felt like we knew the property already and just had “that feeling.” We could see ourselves walking the property and we loved the thought of owning a Victorian style home.
Many might think buying an inn just before the pandemic wasn’t the best timing, but for us, it was perfect. It gave us time to focus on renovations and updating the interior décor.
Today, I whip up the breakfasts, visit the local farmer’s markets, and handle interior design and the business side of things (back of the house), while Chris takes care of property maintenance, upkeep, all the improvements and the front of the house. We’ve also brought two of our three children in to help run the inn. We all pitch in to create the best possible experience for our guests.
We both love meeting our guests. Our guest philosophy is simple: “It’s about you.” What does that mean? We strive to make our guests feel welcome and comfortable while giving them the space they need. “We know it’s about them, not us, so we try to stay in the background while being available at any time. We live next door and we’re quick to respond.”
.