New Family To Revamp and Run West Bay’s Nostalgic Anchor Inn; Sleeping Bear Inn Starts Historic Renovations; The Riv Now Under Contract
Anchor Inn, a 1940s mom-and-pop motel with 150 feet of private West Bay frontage in Elmwood Township, changed hands last week in an off-market deal. New owners George and Alyssa Brittain have relocated to Leelanau County from Mt. Pleasant along with son Will to be on-site innkeepers.
George Brittain tells the Leelanau Ticker that the family moved into one of the guest rooms temporarily while working with a local contractor on a quick refresh to the innkeepers’ cottage, eight rental cottages and six motel rooms before opening May 20. Zoning requires the footprint of all current structures on the 4-acre property to remain intact, so the rehab is limited to the interiors. “We’re calling the style Nordic-Cottage, maintaining the rustic element, but updating it with modern finishes,” says Alyssa Brittain.
The backstory for the deal began last summer over lunch in Lake Leelanau. Drew Warner, co-owner of Whaleback Inn in Leland explains, “George, the buyer, found me on a real estate investing forum. We met at Dick’s Pour House and he asked me how we purchased the Whaleback. I told him by cold-calling; so he did the same, finding the Anchor Inn owners ready to sell.”
Warner, a real estate agent with Blue Lakes Real Estate Group, Key Realty in Traverse City, served in a consulting role to tie up details of the deal, and shared firsthand insights of the innkeepers’ life. “Everything from the right booking software to finding confidence to quit your day job,” says Warner.
The Brittains are taking the reins from Sara and John Kellogg, who operated the inn for the last decade. “Anchor Inn has a passionate following,” says George Brittain. “The previous owners are going to be on site to give a special welcome to some of those longtime guests.”
He adds, “The idea for the hospitality business took seed while we were living and traveling extensively in the UK. [The couple was sent to the UK to start a European branch for a Michigan-based company, Garr Tool.] Alyssa and I have always wanted to work together, so it’s very exciting to make that dream reality. This combines our skill sets and passions for hospitality and design while also supporting our family.”
The new innkeepers are also welcoming a baby girl at the end of June. “Everyone in the community has been so welcoming and helpful. We are excited to make new relationships and get involved,” says Brittain.
Elsewhere in the county: now that Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL) has officially announced its intent to lease the long-shuttered Sleeping Bear Inn to the nonprofit Balancing Environment and Rehabilitation (BEAR) — allowing for the adaptive re-use of the inn and garage — the prerequisites for the restoration are fully underway.
BEAR’s executive director — and the inn's future innkeeper — Maggie Kato says, “we’re working closely with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Historic Architect, Kimberly Mann, who has reviewed our preliminary drawings and is in contact with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).”
The final plans will be approved by the National Lakeshore and then sent to SHPO for approval. Both entities will ensure BEAR retains the historical integrity of Sleeping Bear Inn and garage, while SBDNL staff oversees the upgrade the interior so that it meets modern safety and health requirements.
Last week BEAR met virtually with local and regional National Park Service staff to review the Life Safety and Fire Protection Risk Assessment. “The assessment provides a roadmap for the design work,” explains Kato.
“In addition, we are in the process of building our nonprofit board from our current five members to eight members.”
Candidates pending board approval include Suttons Bay architect Leonard Marszalek; Lee Jameson, former facility manager at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; and Marcia Heller, contract writer and former development director for Women’s Resource Center.
Kato adds, “As soon as the National Park Service conducts an appraisal of the inn and then completes the lease agreement — we estimate those two final requirements will be complete by late summer 2021 — we will be prepared to begin physical renovation immediately.”
Meanwhile, the Riverside Inn, a B&B and upscale restaurant in Leland listed at $2,125,000 just went under contract after five days on the market. After much imagination and speculation shared on social media about what would come of this iconic 1902-era property with 107 feet of waterfront on the Leland River, listing agent Robin Vilter of Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors tells the Leelanau Ticker, “we had multiple offers on the table and Kate [Vilter, owner/operator since 1997] is so grateful to be able to choose the right buyer to pass the torch to.”
Vilter adds, “The probable new buyers do plan to run it as a restaurant and inn.”
Pictured: At the closing of Anchor Inn on West Bay last week, owners for the past decade John and Sara Kellogg pose with new innkeepers George and Alyssa Brittain, and son Will.