Survey says... the number one question is... "What the heck
are you going to do with the Hotel?" I thought this would be a
particularly good week to answer this question, because I have a big
announcement to make about that very thing, but more on that later.
Sandra and I get a real kick out of hearing the different rumors
circulating about the hotel. Some are based in fact, or previous business
plans, some are so far out there we can’t tell which ball park they
sailed from. Part of this is due to the evolution of our business plan.
Initially we weren’t even going to work on the hotel until the ice cream
parlor was operational. Our plan was based on a steady progression through
the building, so that we could develop income along the way. But we were
met with a wave of disappointment from Berryville that we weren’t
focusing on the Hotel. So Sandra and I rewrote our plan to start with the
hotel.
The ice cream parlor is not out, it has just be reincorporated into the
coffee shop which is the center of our present plan. The coffee and bakery
will be in the lobby of the building and seating will be in the ball room
and front porches. It was this change in direction that caused initial
time predictions to move drastically, because cleaning the hotel took
several months. Between dumpsters, and the scrap yard, we got rid of over
200 cubic yards of junk. While working on the hotel we had two problems:
no clean space for an office, and it became apparent that none of the
available spaces, in the hotel, would work for our Ozarts project. That
was when we noticed the empty store front, across from the post office,
and purchased the Ozarts building.
Ozarts took us over for a couple of months while we moved in and
produced the Circle the Square concerts. The plumbers,
electricians, and a small sheet rock crew continued to work in the hotel
and as late as September it still looked as if we would be able to open
the coffee shop this year, but when the floors were started, it was
discovered that the kitchen floor could not be saved. That ended any
chance of opening this year as we have to lay a new sub-floor and tile.
What a lot of people don’t realize when I say we, I mean
Sandra, myself and Erin, our only full time employee. Sandra and Erin
literally just finished ripping out the above mentioned kitchen floor. We
are using outside contractors for big jobs such as plumbing, electrical,
masonry, and refinishing the floors, but cleaning, painting, and a myriad
of other things fall to us. I do not represent a big corporation. I
purchased the building after remolding and selling four houses. I had been
looking at the building for five years, before finally being able to make
an offer on it. We are doing this because we love this building and we
love Berryville.
Now we come to the big announcement. In order to streamline our
efforts and allow us to focus on the hotel, we have decided to offer the
two large commercial spaces, on the ground floor, for lease. They are both
around a thousand square feet and are in very prime square
territory. This is a chance to become part of the Berryville
Renaissance. Rent and renovation will be negotiated based on the
project. We are looking for something that will favorably coexist with the
hotel. Our plan had been to open a local produce/organic market, in one of
the spaces, and we would be especially interested in some one with that
desire. Call me at the gallery if you’re interested.
OZARTS
New painter in the house. If you are a collector of fine art, you
must do yourself the favor of coming and seeing this new work by Angela
McAllister. She is on the cutting edge between realism and fantasy. Her
fantasy looks real and reality looks like fantasy. Her ability will
transfix you and they are priced so that you will not be able to resist.
Ozarts is still looking for: artists to replace our mask exhibit,
Independent Publishers, Bands, musicians, potters. The art mystery is yet
to be solved. Big new box of movies this week, come check them out! Please
feel free to send me your questions by mail, or email.
Ozarts Center for the Arts
108 East Madison Avenue, Berryville. (Across from the
post office.)
Ozarts.org (870) 654-3231 Alexander@Ozarts.org
