Motel Rescue Season 2 Episode 1

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Motel Rescue S02E01
Transcript
00:00In Florida's nature coast, the Sewanee Gables Motel and the owners need a lot of help.
00:07Definitely has seen better days.
00:08Got my work cut out for me.
00:10As an only child, it's heartbreaking.
00:11I have to find any solution possible.
00:14I'm here to do you proud.
00:15I know.
00:16It's going to take some outside of the box thinking.
00:20A snackle box.
00:23And a fresh new look.
00:24Nice.
00:26To make sure this family legacy motel lasts another generation.
00:30Oh my God.
00:32This place is in my heart.
00:38My name is Lindsay Kurowski and I've spent the last few years transforming old run down motels into cool, unique and successful running businesses.
00:47You come bearing gifts?
00:48Nice.
00:49That looks great.
00:50This wallpaper looks amazing.
00:52I'm digging it.
00:53After completing these projects.
00:54Already I can definitely see I have some work cut out for me.
00:58I know how stressful it can be.
01:00So I'm sharing my expertise with other motel owners who are in desperate need of help.
01:05I guess it's so overwhelming I just shut down.
01:08That's right.
01:09I'm taking my expertise on the road.
01:11People commonly make $20,000 to $40,000 a year just on merch.
01:15And spending time with these owners who just need a little help getting these places back on track.
01:20So beautiful.
01:22This is unbelievable.
01:32I'm headed to Old Town in northwest Florida.
01:34The motel I'm headed to is called Suwannee Gables.
01:37It has 16 motel rooms and 6 cabins.
01:40And there's a huge space in the back by the river.
01:44The owners have owned Suwannee Gables for 34 years.
01:48It's pretty impressive.
01:50I bought the motel in 1990.
01:53I bought it because of the location right on the Suwannee River.
01:58And it's a beautiful location.
02:00This is our home.
02:02We've both been through a lot.
02:04We didn't get help from anywhere.
02:06And every step of the way it was a struggle.
02:10Which we were willing to do.
02:12We want to make it in this country.
02:15That is what America is known for.
02:18But the dream does need help.
02:21We're getting on in age.
02:23And it will soon be where we cannot manage.
02:27The redesign will be a big job.
02:29But an even bigger job is going to be transitioning ownership.
02:32Because the owners are in their 80s.
02:34And their daughter Sapna is starting to take over.
02:37My parents have owned the motel since I was 12 years old.
02:41But this motel is struggling so much in the last several years.
02:46Right now at the age of 80 and 82 my parents don't have anything for retirement.
02:50As an only child it's heartbreaking.
02:53I have to find any solution possible.
02:55Any avenue to make sure that this is a success for us.
03:00And our legacy.
03:02Because I can't imagine a world where I sell this property.
03:06It would be a waste of all of the work that my parents have done their entire lives.
03:17Sapna's Motel
03:29Hello.
03:30Hi.
03:31You must be Sapna.
03:32Yes. Nice to meet you.
03:33Nice to meet you. I'm Lindsay.
03:35Thank you so much for coming.
03:36So Suwannee Gables.
03:38I grew up here. This is my childhood home.
03:40So your parents own the Suwannee Gables.
03:42Yes.
03:43But you are positioning to take over the Baton.
03:45I am.
03:46Wow. Exciting. Nerve-wracking. Overwhelming.
03:50Yes.
03:51Tell me when to stop.
03:52All of the above.
03:53So I'd imagine that's part of why you rang.
03:55Yes.
03:56So already I can definitely see I have some work cut out for me.
03:59We could update the place.
04:01Usually the throw pillows tell me when.
04:03The throw pillows tell me the story of when ownership began.
04:07Yes. And the fact that we have layers of throw pillows.
04:10Yes.
04:11One for each decade.
04:13Making sure that this place reflects the beauty and the serenity of the Suwannee River.
04:18Yes.
04:19I think there's a huge disconnect between the two.
04:21Right.
04:22And now you have experience in hospitality?
04:24I grew up in one, but also then went to work for large hotel companies.
04:29Oh, great. Yes. So you are very prepared.
04:31On the business side.
04:32In the hospitality industry, I learned how to manage really big motels,
04:36so 250 rooms, lots of staff.
04:40I think one of the biggest challenges for me is how do I run a 22-room motel?
04:45How do I scale my skill set to this type of property?
04:50I'm really looking for Lindsay's guidance to help me understand this business better
04:56and what ways I can help improve it.
05:02All right.
05:03Got a couple of different themes going on in here.
05:06This is definitely an eclectic collection.
05:09Yeah.
05:10Part of me feels like I'm at a store where there's little price tags on stuff.
05:14Do whatever you want.
05:15Because you're not keeping those.
05:16No.
05:17Cool. We're on the same page.
05:18Yes.
05:19I've been at this for a while, so I've learned to be kind of delicate, right?
05:22When you see a room full of stuff that you probably have to get rid of.
05:25To my surprise, Seth is like, no, get rid of all of them.
05:28So that is refreshing.
05:30Not going to be super fun to clean out.
05:32Also, carpet. How old do you think this carpet is?
05:34Probably at least as old as me.
05:36Yeah.
05:38Okay. Cool.
05:39The good news and the bad news.
05:40So the good news, good space, right?
05:43You have a good amount of room.
05:45I also love a sunken floor concept.
05:47Yes.
05:48The bad news, I feel like it shouldn't feel like a living room in the lobby.
05:51We do want it to feel like a business front-facing area.
05:54This could be a really inviting space.
05:56So I can build you the next generation of the family hangout.
06:01Yes.
06:02Because that concept hasn't gone away.
06:03People do like to book five or ten rooms, come for a family event.
06:08Giving them a space where they can all hang out, I think, is smart.
06:11We just want to make the space feel a little more cohesive.
06:14All right. I would love to see the rest of the place.
06:16Do you think I could get a key?
06:17Yes. Let me get it for you.
06:18Cool.
06:19I definitely have to make over the lobby, but I'd also like to tackle a room
06:23and see what I can do to help their outdoor space.
06:25Okay. So I'm going to go check out the rest of the property,
06:27and then when I come back, I'll meet your parents?
06:29Perfect.
06:30All right. I'll be right back.
06:31Thanks.
06:45What do we got?
06:48Firstly, we have a non-smoking room.
06:52But I got some burns on here.
06:55Remnants of a smoking room, for sure.
06:57The evidence is there.
06:58And I know there are no smoking rooms,
07:00but that just is the testament of how long these bedspreads have been around.
07:03Like this? Come on.
07:05Guys, come on.
07:07I'm not even being mean, okay?
07:09But, like, you know, in what world are these matching?
07:12Let me do you one better, okay?
07:14It's a lot of patterns.
07:16Got stripes. We got squiggles.
07:18I'm not really sure what you call this.
07:20I do understand when stuff isn't, like, broken and it's still functional,
07:23it is difficult to spend the money and throw stuff away,
07:26but we got to update this stuff.
07:28It is a good size, and it does get good light, so that's nice.
07:32Floor's in decent shape.
07:34The floor looks like it probably was done within the last five years, I would guess.
07:37So I can save some budget there,
07:39and I'm going to need to reinvest in new bedding, mattresses, all this furniture.
07:44It mostly all needs to go.
07:46Lobby, definitely going to be a lot of work.
07:48Room, still a good amount of work, but a smaller space.
07:52I'm hoping that this riverside spot outside maybe cuts me a break.
07:56Yeah.
08:02Oh!
08:04The outside space, very vast.
08:07This feels like a missed opportunity.
08:09It's a good amount of space. It's shaded.
08:11There's really just not a cohesive plan in here at all.
08:14I mean, we got plastic furniture.
08:16I got picnic tables going in opposite directions.
08:19It doesn't feel styled at all,
08:21and it definitely shouldn't be falling apart the way that it is.
08:26The view is beautiful, and there is so much potential here.
08:29I can definitely see why her parents purchased the place.
08:32It's just ready for a round of refresh, for sure.
08:36There's the view I've been hearing about.
08:38It's really beautiful over here. I see it now.
08:41This is what Safna was talking about, the view in the back.
08:43She wants to match in the rooms.
08:45Oh, hi!
08:47Lindsey, finally!
08:49Hello! So nice to meet you.
08:51I'm overwhelmed.
08:53I need to do this that will get some of the energy to you.
08:56Okay.
08:59It's red in color for my heart.
09:02It means you and I for life are friends.
09:05Yay!
09:07Every really close friend or family member that's come to our home
09:10has always been greeted with that ceremony.
09:13It's not only a reflection of how my mom
09:17welcomes people into her life,
09:20but really about how she feels about Lindsey.
09:22Only super special people get that from my mom.
09:25Welcome.
09:27Thank you. So nice to meet you.
09:29Okay, you guys want to sit down and tell me about how we landed here?
09:32Yes.
09:34I don't normally get asked to be energetically aligned with the people I'm working with,
09:37so it's definitely a first for me.
09:39I can't think of a warmer welcome, I suppose.
09:41I really am so grateful for the opportunity, and I want to do you proud.
09:44I'm here to do you proud.
09:46I know.
09:48Tell me, why is this such a special place to you and your family?
09:51We had to do something to secure our lives financially.
09:56The Swanee Gables Motel is also special to me
10:00because being born in South Africa, we had the apartheid,
10:04and we couldn't go to the beaches,
10:07we could not sit on the benches, etc., etc.
10:11And only during Christmas, we would go on the sand,
10:17and we would have blankets, and we would sing American folk songs.
10:21The first one was always Way Down Upon the Swanee River.
10:25It became a personal song to us.
10:28So crazy, what a full circle moment,
10:30that then you randomly end up here on the Swanee River.
10:34On the Swanee River.
10:35Wow. A lot.
10:37When I actually found out that the motel is on the Swanee River,
10:43it just blew my mind.
10:46Hearing the story from Sepna's parents of how they came to own Swanee Gables
10:51is so inspiring, and this place means so much to them.
10:55I'm feeling a little bit of pressure.
10:57How has it been going financially?
10:59Earlier years, a couple of years were very good,
11:03but the occupancy has really gone down.
11:06To almost 30%.
11:09And so Sepna is getting ready to potentially take over the place?
11:14Yes.
11:15How are we feeling about that, passing the baton?
11:17Feeling good. She's the only one in our life.
11:19And they have three grandkids.
11:21I have 11-year-old triplets, and they get really the run of the land
11:25because it's their grandparents' home.
11:27Yeah.
11:28Who loves spending time with them, too.
11:29Right.
11:30As far as where I want to spend my time,
11:32or with my budget, what makes the most sense,
11:34I do want to spend a good amount of my time and budget out here.
11:36You have this gorgeous view, but I'd love to update your furniture,
11:39teach you how to make these cozy moments where people can interact
11:43and spend time together outside,
11:45as well as revive the weathered pavilion,
11:47which has definitely seen better days.
11:49I also really want to do some work in the lobby.
11:51I want the space to be two things.
11:53I want it to be more functional by putting down new flooring
11:56and creating way more seating for guests to lounge.
11:59But I also want the lobby to be fashionable,
12:02leaning into a nature-forward design theme
12:05that will remind guests of all the natural beauty
12:07featured here on the motel property.
12:09Then I also want to do a room.
12:10I want to set you up with a blueprint for what to do after I go.
12:14The floors are great, but everything else has to go.
12:17We need to brighten the space up with a whole new color palette,
12:20all updated furniture,
12:22and we'll carry the same nature-forward theme from the lobby
12:25into the room as well.
12:26So what is our budget on this project?
12:28So we're looking at about $40,000 budget for the renovation.
12:31Okay.
12:32I think I can make some magic happen
12:34and really help you take it to the next level.
12:36We're excited to see what happens.
12:39Yes. I'll be back soon.
12:40All right.
12:41Thanks, guys.
12:42Looking forward to the whole thing.
12:43Yes, me too.
12:46All right, so all the furniture is a go.
12:49Great.
12:50Let's go.
12:52For this massive renovation, I have my A-team with me.
12:58I've got Dewey, who's my master carpenter,
13:00Jen, who's my upholsterer,
13:02Jim, who's a jack-of-all-trades but is on the construction team,
13:05and Adam, who's on the construction team but is also my little brother.
13:08Right now, it's all hands on deck to get this lobby loaded out.
13:11Trinkets, trinkets, trinkets.
13:15You can just tell this place means so much to Sapna's parents,
13:19so I do want to pay homage by keeping some of these pieces that I did really like.
13:26Yeah, I think that's good.
13:29Jeez, you guys move fast.
13:32A lot of stuff.
13:41How we doing, guys?
13:42Hey, great.
13:43What time is it?
13:44Carpet time.
13:45Here we go.
13:46Yeah, we're ready for it.
13:47How'd the setup go this morning?
13:48Good, good, no problems.
13:49Smooth sailing.
13:50Today, we have a lot to get done.
13:53I have new flooring going down in the lobby.
13:55The rooms need to get new paint.
13:57I have an extensive new outdoor lounge that's going to be going by the pavilion.
14:02The list is long, and I only have four more days to get it all done.
14:06Woo!
14:08Who is excited to tear up this carpet?
14:11Let's do it.
14:12If smells could talk.
14:14Ooh, yeah.
14:16It's coming right up.
14:17Why does it need to go, you might ask?
14:19We don't use carpet anymore.
14:21Vinyl flooring is really the way to go.
14:23It lasts for 25, 30 years, and it's a lot easier to maintain.
14:26Oh, yeah.
14:27That's really nice, you know?
14:30We have a plan for the sunken lobby.
14:32Anytime you have a large communal space, you need to optimize that.
14:35They have traditional motel rooms at the Sewanee Gables.
14:38They're not super big.
14:39So making this more of a cohesive communal space will help them up their room rates.
14:43We have about 45 linear feet of couch, which is a lot.
14:47Dewey is working on the new benches for the couch, which means Jen has to be working on the cushions for the couch.
14:52That's a very big project.
14:54And I'm really excited to see it start coming together.
14:58How are we doing, Jen?
14:59Good. How are you?
15:00These look amazing.
15:03And this is a commercial fabric.
15:04Stain-proof. It's got a moisture barrier.
15:06This looks awesome.
15:07Yeah, thank you.
15:08I would like to find a way to incorporate some of that old fabric from the couch that was there,
15:13because I want Sapna and her parents to see and remember what used to be there.
15:17Yep, absolutely. I've got it in here. I'll seam rip it up.
15:19Okay, great. This looks awesome.
15:21I've got to let you get back to work.
15:22Let me know if you need anything.
15:23Thank you. Bye.
15:29All right, this is us mixing business and pleasure, you know?
15:32Yes.
15:33A little bowing day.
15:34The goal is definitely to increase the profitability of the Sewanee Gables.
15:37We want to serve more people.
15:39So when Lindsey said we could spend some time together and talk business,
15:42I thought what a great opportunity to take her out on the Sewanee River with my dear friend, Charlie.
15:47Welcome aboard.
15:48All right, Captain.
15:50Thanks so much for having us.
15:51You bet.
15:52I'm really excited for some one-on-one time with Lindsey to kind of share with her some of my trouble spots
15:57and get her to help me out.
16:01Yeah, it's really pretty. So this is all Spanish moss?
16:04Mm-hmm.
16:05Lots of cypress trees.
16:06Uh-huh.
16:07It really is beautiful.
16:11Okay, so business-wise, talking to your dad,
16:13it does seem like they've hit a little bit of a slump, you know, in the last couple years.
16:17Yeah, I think that we rely a lot on traffic that's going by
16:21and not really kind of having that proactive customer that is seeking us out
16:26to come and stay at the property for the experience.
16:29Right.
16:30What kind of traveler are you really excited about to help bring in this new clientele?
16:34Nature enthusiasts, the people who are coming to the Florida nature coast to experience all of this.
16:39People can kayak, paddleboard, canoe.
16:43And the Suwannee Gables has a dock that docks right into the river,
16:47so that is definitely an underutilized asset.
16:49Also, family and community.
16:51Yeah.
16:52Whether it's weddings or family reunions.
16:55Yeah.
16:56And really embracing the wellness community and the healing power of the motel and the space that we're at.
17:02Yeah, that makes sense.
17:03With the wellness community, you can add amenities, which could be classes, packages,
17:09which could lead to people paying more for a service.
17:12But in addition, it just allows you to increase your rates.
17:15Talking shop with Lindsay was amazing.
17:17Trying new things can be scary, not only for my parents, but for me too.
17:22I don't want to make mistakes sometimes, but having her encouragement and her expertise and her experience,
17:27I'm really excited to see what she comes up with.
17:30And knowing that she's there, she's got my back, made it easier to get that courage.
17:34I do think after hearing what's important to you,
17:37I'm going to be able to hit the stuff that can really make a difference
17:40and set you up to be able to finish what we start.
17:42And I'm here, remember, for a blueprint.
17:44That's really what I've been craving.
17:46Yeah.
17:47Is the blueprint.
17:48Right.
17:49And then also the encouragement.
17:51Yes, I'm here, girl.
17:52Sister.
17:53What's up?
17:54I got you.
17:55I love it.
17:56We did have nice weather today.
17:57It was a beautiful day on the Suwannee River.
18:01Our three main motel projects are progressing nicely.
18:08The room is being painted a light blue because nothing opens up a small space like airy blues.
18:13The pavilion is undergoing some rehab before it gets its own fresh coat of paint.
18:18And Dewey, my master carpenter, has just completed the first piece of the new sunken lobby couch,
18:24which when finished will be ideal for large families who book multiple rooms,
18:28but need a common area to hang out.
18:32Last screw.
18:33Last screw.
18:34There you go.
18:35We're ready.
18:36Looking good.
18:37Okay, I got it.
18:38I got it.
18:39Okay.
18:40Nice.
18:41Beautiful.
18:42All right, should we test this one out?
18:44Yeah, sure, why not?
18:47It is, whoa.
18:48Oh, that's nice.
18:49It's pretty deep.
18:50It's pretty deep, you know?
18:51I love the idea of putting chargers in, people can plug a laptop in.
18:54You know, you're traveling with your family, but mom has to wake up early to answer some emails.
18:57If she can come into a lobby to do that, I would absolutely pick the Suwannee Gables over one that didn't offer a communal lobby.
19:04It really does just help her level up.
19:12The backyard of the Suwannee Gables is vast, but undefined.
19:16So breaking the space up into moments for nature lovers and wellness guests alike
19:21helps establish new activities and ways to generate more revenue.
19:25After talking to Sapna and learning about her wanting to bring in a wellness crowd,
19:29really any covered area she has, if I can make that look and feel more elevated, that's only going to help her get more business.
19:34So Adam and Jim are patching under the pavilion.
19:37How's the patching coming?
19:39Well, we're trying to get this thing rehabbed.
19:41It's in pretty rough shape.
19:42Yep.
19:43We're working on doing some under-the-roof patch repair, fixing some of the siding.
19:47But it's going to be tough to cover all this wear and tear.
19:49It's a lot. It's old.
19:50This is really important that you guys finish it, because I have the painters coming first thing in the morning.
19:53Okay.
19:54That's where we get all our cuts made.
19:55So you've been doing pretty good, but I might need to see a little bit of extra pep.
19:57All right.
19:58And I think we're going to paint it black, because that'll help hide some of the imperfections.
20:01It looks super modern, and I just think it's going to give a whole refresh to the area.
20:06And black is slimming.
20:07Yeah, it's slimming.
20:08Well, yeah, it's classy.
20:09Look at this, we've got a boater out there.
20:11Woo-wee! That's right.
20:13My instinct was to do that, too.
20:15Siblings.
20:16Siblings.
20:18Hong Kong.
20:30Today, we have a lot to get done.
20:33But I'm really excited with the progress.
20:36The lobby is flying by.
20:38New floors are down.
20:39The desk is out.
20:40A new desk is being made.
20:42Dewey has these awesome shelves being made.
20:44I like the outside space.
20:46I'm having the pavilion painted black, and I think it's turning out marvelous.
20:50I got a ton of gravel delivered today to make a more elevated lounge area.
20:55And I'm getting ready to do stenciling in the bedroom.
20:58An inexpensive way to mimic a wallpaper is to do a hand stencil.
21:03This is something that Sevna can easily mimic and repeat in each room.
21:06Okay, so I have some choices here.
21:09So the stencil is kind of a risk, because it's a textured wall.
21:12I'm not sure how it's going to turn out.
21:13However, I do feel like I want a focal wall right behind the bed.
21:17I also really want to encourage Sevna to be taking some risks.
21:20I'm doing them all day.
21:21So I kind of want to do them random on the wall.
21:25All right, this is a stencil brush, so it's got a flat edge.
21:29And you don't want to put on too much paint.
21:33Got good arm strength in the beginning.
21:34There's a lot of hope in the beginning of a stencil.
21:37You could easily spend $1,000 on a really high-end wallpaper just to do one wall.
21:44A good stencil's like $50.
21:46And she's got 22 rooms, so that could be $22,000 in wallpaper or $50 worth of stencils.
21:52All right, I do kind of want to see how this is looking.
22:01That looks great!
22:02The old-fashioned way, you know?
22:04What can I say?
22:13Got a whole big field here.
22:14I hear him.
22:15Sevna has definitely mentioned that she wants to bring parts of the Suwannee River into the motel.
22:21So I called Bob.
22:22He's running the sawmill.
22:23What better place than to come to a local sawmill to get some pieces to make cool, unique, custom-built furniture?
22:35You must be Bob.
22:36Yes, I am.
22:37I'm Lindsay.
22:38Pleasure to meet you.
22:39Hey, Bob, I'm Adam.
22:40Nice to meet you, Adam.
22:41Yeah.
22:42We could smell your cedar from the road.
22:43We had to stop on in.
22:44Oh, it's got a good smell to it.
22:45It does.
22:46Absolutely.
22:47Now, this is different than what I've normally seen cedar look like.
22:49This is much brighter.
22:50This is a southern cedar, which is a more tropical brand.
22:54It's got a little more colors and purples and pinks in it.
22:57Yeah.
22:58Beautiful.
22:59Yeah, we're here looking for a couple pieces.
23:00Make yourself at home.
23:01Awesome.
23:02All right.
23:04We will.
23:05Thanks, Bob.
23:06Look, I led you right to the wood.
23:07I'm really excited to have Adam here.
23:08It's always great to spend time with him, and more so it's great that I don't have to carry
23:09the heavy lumber that I'll be purchasing.
23:10There we go.
23:11Nice.
23:12There's some slabs.
23:13Now, these are what you're probably looking for for your tables.
23:14I need some rounds to make some small tables inside of the lobby.
23:15All right.
23:16Let's go.
23:17Let's go.
23:18Let's go.
23:19Let's go.
23:20Let's go.
23:21Let's go.
23:22Let's go.
23:23Let's go.
23:24Let's go.
23:25Let's go.
23:26Let's go.
23:27Let's go.
23:28Let's go.
23:29Let's go.
23:30There we go.
23:31All right.
23:32Nice.
23:33Nice.
23:34All right.
23:35That should really fit inside of the lobby.
23:36I think that might work.
23:37A lot smaller.
23:38Nineteen.
23:39That's pretty good.
23:40I like that.
23:41I'm also seeking some lumber for a special project, which would be a kayak rack to hold
23:43two boats and two paddle boards.
23:45Sepna really wants her guests to be able to enjoy the river.
23:48I think this is going to be such a great idea for her as a revenue stream.
23:52That's kind of cool.
23:55I'm curious if he'd sell that.
23:57Doesn't look like he's really using it.
23:59What's great to coming to places like this
24:00and just kind of peeking around is like,
24:02yeah, I found some cool wood slabs,
24:03but you never know what you're gonna find, you know?
24:06There's all kinds of piles of treasure here.
24:08All right, Bob.
24:10Hey.
24:10I found some stuff.
24:11We got some pieces here.
24:12Wonderful, wonderful, yeah.
24:14I got some side tables.
24:16And then I am curious.
24:18I saw a sign in the front
24:20that looks like it's handmade.
24:21It says Suwanee River.
24:22Yes, ma'am.
24:23Is that your business sign?
24:25Yes, ma'am.
24:25Would you sell that?
24:26No, ma'am.
24:27Kind of knew the answer.
24:28While I was asking, I kind of knew like, hmm, yeah.
24:31Do you have any other signs like that?
24:32I can make you one.
24:33Oh, you can?
24:34Yes, ma'am.
24:35Okay, cool.
24:36That would be very exciting.
24:37And then I was looking for like a four by four
24:39or some kind of dimensional lumber
24:41because I'm trying to build like a kayak rack,
24:43but I didn't see anything like that.
24:44I've got a couple right here.
24:46Oh, that's where you're hiding it.
24:48There they are.
24:49They're hidden in there.
24:50There's cedar.
24:51Okay.
24:52There we go.
24:52So now I can make the kayak rack.
24:53Now we can make a kayak rack.
24:55All local wood.
24:56Very cool.
24:56Right here from Levy County.
24:57Sweet.
24:58Thanks, Bob.
24:59We'll load this stuff up and come back for it.
25:00All right.
25:01Thanks.
25:02It's definitely cool to work with local materials.
25:04And I just think it's going to help tell the story
25:06even further for the Swanee Gables.
25:09Helping their outdoor adventure seeker
25:11feel like they're experiencing parts of that
25:13when they're inside the motel.
25:15It definitely was worth the trip.
25:18♪♪♪
25:22I'm going to hawk the pile.
25:24I've been getting good results with this, though.
25:28Guys!
25:29Oh, hey.
25:30What are you doing?
25:31Are you going to tag us out?
25:32That's just a normal pace for this?
25:34Yeah.
25:34Yeah?
25:35Just trying to get a pump in?
25:37Well, we're efficient.
25:38Yeah?
25:39I walk out and find Adam and Jim
25:41like playing in a sandbox, you know?
25:43These guys, every time I put them on a task,
25:45it's like they find a way to, I don't know, have fun.
25:48How dare they?
25:49So this is for our elevated lounge area.
25:53Yeah, this is our beach.
25:54We're building a beach.
25:55All right, well, I guess I can help.
25:56All right, I'm going to just go at a moderate pace.
25:58All right, well, choose your weapon.
25:59I'm going to go for a rake.
26:01You're going to go rake.
26:02That's a smart choice.
26:03Elegant.
26:04An elegant weapon.
26:05Race you.
26:06You'll race me?
26:07Yeah.
26:09The area we're working on next to the pavilion
26:11is supposed to feel more like an elevated lounge.
26:14I do want to have a fire pit.
26:15I want it to have styled furniture.
26:18The Swanee Gables is such a vast space.
26:21Making this lawn feel like it was intentionally designed,
26:24she's going to start drawing in a different crowd,
26:26a deeper pocket crowd, you know?
26:28That's what I want for Stefna and the whole family.
26:30Just go easy, bud.
26:33Oh yeah, that rock right in the foot.
26:35Oh, after I got in there, I realized this isn't that fun.
26:46I am working on a quick design
26:48that's going to turn into a kayak holder.
26:51It'll be a really nice piece on the lawn,
26:54but it's also something that guests will inquire about.
26:56Hey, how do we rent these?
26:57It's about eight feet wide, three to four feet deep,
27:01storage for two boats and two paddle boards.
27:03Let's say Stefna rents out paddle boards for $15 a day
27:06and kayaks for 30 a day every weekend.
27:09That's a total of about $9,000 of added revenue per year.
27:13I am really hopeful Stefna really likes the idea
27:17and then she runs with it, you know?
27:19Because her having her own ideas and trying out new things
27:21is really the key to making this succeed
27:23during the transition.
27:32Hello.
27:33Hello.
27:34After going on the boat with Stefna
27:35and just hearing her ideas
27:37about incorporating more family activities
27:39and leaning into the holistic health and wellness community,
27:43I really wanted to grab some tea with her
27:44and just kind of start hashing through
27:46how these ideas become a reality
27:48and new streams of revenue.
27:49Okay, so I have this idea to the untrained eye.
27:53This is a tackle box, right?
27:56It's actually called a snackle box.
27:59Oh, I love that!
28:02Isn't that so fun?
28:02That's so great!
28:04Earlier we talked about scaling your skills back
28:06to a smaller place like the motel, right?
28:09Big hotels have restaurants and gift shops,
28:11but for small motel offerings, you can do this instead.
28:14So the idea is this is something you could sell
28:16for like $20 via fire pits outside,
28:19and you know, someone comes in
28:21to charge a snackle box to their room.
28:23Oh, that's so, I got goosebumps!
28:25That's so amazing, I love it!
28:27And this is like an hour to two hours of activity at night.
28:30People will take photos because it's so cool.
28:32This is boutique.
28:33The snackle box is so amazing,
28:35especially for families that are visiting the Swanee Gables.
28:38It's really an opportunity to create memories
28:40while being revenue generating,
28:42which is what Lindsay's here to teach me as well.
28:45This is something you could sell for like $20.
28:48Let's say even you sell five of these a weekend,
28:51that's $100, there's 52 weeks in a year.
28:54So $5,200.
28:55Wow.
28:56Hello!
28:57Hi, yay, you made it!
28:58Yes, hi!
28:59Welcome!
29:00It's so good to see you.
29:00You too!
29:01Hi!
29:02I'm Ellie.
29:03Ellie, nice to meet you.
29:04Nice to meet you too.
29:05So I have another surprise.
29:07After we spoke on the boat and you mentioned wellness
29:10and really wanting to attract maybe a crowd
29:12that was more health oriented,
29:14I found a local yoga instructor named Ellie
29:17who does a lot of community yoga.
29:19So I know your space and it's right on the river
29:21and that would just make it like a really nice way
29:24to integrate both of what we have going on.
29:26Yeah!
29:27Business wise, this could turn into a bigger relationship
29:30potentially with retreats,
29:32where your guests are actually paying for a room rate
29:34that includes yoga.
29:36But this could be quite lucrative
29:38and once you start bringing in that clientele,
29:41they are so community focused that it just spreads quick.
29:43Having somebody that can come and do yoga on the property
29:48is really going to be one of the keys to our success.
29:50It incorporates wellness,
29:52it incorporates the flow of the river
29:55and so it really is everything that we've been wanting
29:57at the Swanee Gables in one.
29:59You have endless ideas and abilities
30:02with just the sprawling lawn
30:03and the location of your property.
30:05Girlfriend, you got a new brand!
30:06I know!
30:07I think the two ideas that Lindsay gave me were amazing.
30:10She really heard me.
30:12She's also empowering me.
30:14I'm excited, not only for myself,
30:16but I'm really excited for my parents.
30:18Lindsay is taking the heart and soul
30:21of what the Swanee Gables is and bringing it to life.
30:24We got some good ideas, ladies in business.
30:25Yes!
30:26I love it.
30:27Cheers, girls!
30:28Cheers!
30:29Cheers!
30:30Cheers!
30:30Cheers!
30:31Cheers!
30:32Cheers!
30:33Cheers!
30:34Cheers!
30:35Cheers!
30:35Cheers!
30:36Cheers!
30:37Cheers!
30:38Cheers!
30:39Cheers!
30:40Cheers!
30:40Cheers!
30:42Nice!
30:44Cool, right?
30:44That looks great, yeah.
30:45Yeah.
30:46That's gonna be awesome at the pavilion.
30:47Really good outside.
30:48Very cool.
30:49Fresh cedar from our friend, Bob.
30:52Smells good.
30:53You got it?
30:54Yeah.
30:55It's pretty light, actually.
30:55And then you got the cedar logs there for Dewey?
30:57For the kayak rack?
30:59Yeah.
31:00Okay, cool.
31:00Get those over to Dewey so he can start on that rack.
31:01I'm gonna bring this to the pavilion.
31:03Thank you!
31:05The sign Bob made looks amazing.
31:07He used a new piece of cedar,
31:09so the coloring is really unique and cool.
31:12It smells great, and it's gonna look so perfect
31:14outside of the pavilion that we just finished painting.
31:17It just looks great and fresh and new.
31:19That space is just looking so dialed over there.
31:22That's gonna look great.
31:25Bob really saved the day on this one.
31:32So when I first met Sapna, she was talking to me
31:33about how much she loves the river,
31:36and she wants to incorporate the Suwannee River
31:39inside of the motel.
31:42So I think it might be a good idea
31:43to paint and put some canoe paddles inside as art,
31:45helping their outdoor adventure seeker
31:48feel like they're experiencing parts of that
31:50when they're inside the motel.
31:52Pretty.
31:53To buy a finished paddle like this online
31:57could be like 300 or 400 bucks to have it already painted.
31:59My kind of hack here was to just paint it yourself,
32:02and then I was able to buy the blanks for 40 bucks a piece.
32:06Nice.
32:07Custom wall out for 40 bucks.
32:08Can't beat it.
32:09One down.
32:11About eight more to go.
32:19It's my final day working on the remodel for Suwannee Gables
32:22and things are coming together.
32:24I'm really happy with how the lawn is looking.
32:26The gravel looks great.
32:27Lights are going up.
32:29The bedroom's looking good.
32:30All the painting is finished.
32:32We just had our bead board go up.
32:34There's quite a bit left to do in the lobby.
32:36The cushions need to go on the couch.
32:37There's still painting,
32:39so I have to paint the bottom of the couch black.
32:41We're gonna start putting some finishing touches in
32:43and some larger furniture pieces.
32:48So this is a custom desk I had the team build,
32:50and it really is such an important moment
32:53when you first arrive at a business.
32:55We used some batten stripping,
32:56because I feel like that really feels nature and outdoors.
32:59Hey, Dewey.
33:00Hey, what's up?
33:01I have to talk to you about something.
33:02What do you got?
33:02Got a drawing.
33:04So I'm thinking about a kayak rack.
33:06Oh, okay, I see it.
33:08Maybe it holds two kayaks.
33:09I want to maybe try out some paddle boards.
33:11All right.
33:11Last a long time.
33:12I got some local timber.
33:13Oh, did you?
33:14Yeah, so we can use some cedar on this.
33:15I think it'll look really great.
33:16That's even better.
33:16Yeah.
33:17How about this?
33:18I'm gonna finish the desk,
33:19so then you can start on that.
33:20That sounds good.
33:21Okay.
33:22Jake?
33:23Okay.
33:23Cool.
33:25Yep, you got it.
33:29You might have gotten a better deal on this.
33:31It's actually quite a lot of sanding.
33:33Can't win them all.
33:38Okay.
33:47The lobby is taking shape.
33:49I have a ton of art that has to get hung on the walls.
33:52I have some shelves that are being hung,
33:54and I got these really cool custom yoga mats
33:56that Sapna's gonna just be so impressed over.
34:00The bedroom's looking good.
34:01We're just getting furniture in,
34:03so that's all coming together nicely.
34:05And that kayak rack.
34:06It's hanging outside.
34:06It's starting to come together.
34:08My main objective here is to help set Sapna up
34:10to run this place for another 30 years.
34:13Having a family legacy motel is a dream.
34:16I want her to be able to continue that.
34:18So I can't wait to show this to Sapna and the whole family.
34:20I think they're going to be very happy.
34:32Are you excited, or nervous, or scared, or?
34:35Some of it.
34:36All of the above.
34:37Surprise for me, I think.
34:38It's gonna be.
34:39Looking forward to it, though.
34:40I've been told no peeking all day long,
34:44but I'm ready to peek now.
34:47We are in good company, and it is going to be amazing.
34:51It is time to hang the towel.
34:53It'll take me a little while,
34:55because this place is in my heart.
34:59But I am very excited and very ready
35:03to spend more time with my grandkids.
35:06We're so proud of you, Dikra.
35:08We really are.
35:12Okay, here we go.
35:17Okay, are you guys ready?
35:18Oh my gosh, we're so ready!
35:20Are you excited?
35:21We're so excited.
35:22Very excited.
35:23Having Lindsay here, the time I've spent with her
35:26has been so rewarding.
35:28Not only am I super excited to see all the new designs,
35:31but she's been so empowering with all of the business ideas,
35:35ways to generate revenue.
35:37I am ready to take on the Swanee Gables and make it my own.
35:40I hope you like it.
35:41Are you ready?
35:42Ready.
35:43One, two, three.
35:48Oh my God.
35:51So beautiful.
35:53Oh my God.
35:55Lindsay, it's gorgeous.
35:57Do you like it?
35:57Fantastic.
35:58It is breathtaking.
36:00It's yours.
36:01This is yours.
36:0230 years in business.
36:03You work hard.
36:04It's time somebody does something for you.
36:06We digitized your sign.
36:10The cranes I did by hand, they're a stencil,
36:12which I'm gonna teach you how to do.
36:13Okay.
36:14Yeah, and I love the idea of right when someone walks in,
36:17there's your check-in desk.
36:17They see your logo.
36:18They know where they are.
36:19Yeah.
36:21Okay, I wanna show you guys a couple of things.
36:23First, we thought getting the health
36:25and wellness community involved.
36:28Oh no.
36:30These are custom yoga mats.
36:32Oh my gosh, Lindsay.
36:35This is your legacy.
36:36You made this place.
36:39And you'll look over here on the shelves.
36:40Look, these are pieces that were here.
36:42Carefully curated.
36:44Carefully curated, that's right.
36:46No more carpet.
36:46This will be a lot easier to maintain.
36:48Yes.
36:49I like the wall.
36:50I love the oars.
36:51You do?
36:52I mean, these paddles we made, this is a DIY.
36:55I mean, the perfect reflection
36:58of what the river brings when you walk outside.
37:01Also, remember this?
37:03Yes!
37:04I love that.
37:05It makes you feel at home.
37:07You know, so we match them.
37:10Oh, it's so nice.
37:11Sometimes you gotta keep a nod to the past.
37:13You gotta know where you were to know where you're going.
37:14We are wild, but to keep that.
37:18Yeah, the pieces.
37:19It shows me your character and your love for your work.
37:23Try the sofa.
37:25This is custom.
37:26Yeah.
37:27So before we could have probably sat about six people.
37:31You can get 15 in here now.
37:33Wow.
37:34Right?
37:34Yes.
37:35So this is now such an amazing space
37:36to offer to your guests.
37:38This is going to be unbelievable.
37:41I'm so glad you love it.
37:43Yay!
37:44You know that there's more too.
37:45The feel that she's given to the lobby
37:48of an upscale river lodge,
37:50really bringing in the spirit of the Suwannee River
37:52into the lobby really is just amazing.
37:55The lobby is an incredible first impression
37:58for our guests in the future.
37:59They'll step in and they'll step into another world.
38:02And that's really what we can't wait to see.
38:04Okay, you guys want to see a few more surprises?
38:06Yes!
38:07Yes, yes, yes.
38:08Sometimes I love surprises.
38:09I love surprises!
38:12All right, so we like the lobby.
38:14Oh, amazing.
38:16I can't wait to see the room.
38:17It's amazing.
38:18Okay, you guys ready to see your room?
38:20Ready!
38:21Here we go!
38:23Oh my gosh!
38:25Are you kidding me?
38:27It is gorgeous.
38:29Beautiful.
38:30I love the color too.
38:31Yeah, so I really wanted to lighten it up.
38:33So remember, we had a lot of different patterns in here
38:36when I first got here.
38:37It was darker, the bedspreads were from the 90s.
38:40So this is a lot lighter.
38:42It's definitely reflective of the river and nature.
38:46You'll see more of the cranes.
38:47They just bring like this sense of light and airiness.
38:51When you walk into this room.
38:53Now you had full size beds in here before.
38:55You definitely had room for queens.
38:57Yeah.
38:57So we upgraded these to queens.
38:59Those are amazing.
39:01A guest steps into that room
39:03and you just feel the weight of whatever you're carrying
39:06lift off of your shoulders.
39:07From the detail of the birds, to the color,
39:10to just the energy that the room has now.
39:12It's really calming and serene.
39:15It doesn't have to be expensive to look expensive, right?
39:19Okay, so you were charging how much for this room before?
39:22Like 115?
39:23Yeah.
39:24So I think easily with the upgrades to the lobby
39:27and if you can continue this kind of look,
39:29I don't see why you can't be closer to 150.
39:31Yes.
39:32Easily.
39:33So that's about a 30% increase.
39:34I mean, that could easily make you an extra
39:3730 or $40,000 a year.
39:38Wow.
39:39If not more.
39:40Okay, cool.
39:41So we have one more space left.
39:43Are you ready?
39:43We're ready.
39:44Let's go.
39:45Okay, follow you.
39:47Are you ready to take a look at your new pavilion?
39:49Oh, I don't know.
39:50All right.
39:53Look at the space, man.
39:56What a transformation.
39:57Beautiful.
39:59Stunning.
40:01Stunning.
40:02The lights.
40:03Oh, look at the side.
40:05Should we go check it out?
40:06Yes, let's go.
40:08I thought this was such an underutilized space.
40:10Yes.
40:11So we patched it up.
40:12It definitely needed some love.
40:14A fresh coat of black paint, but adding the lighting.
40:16I just thought this would be a really great place
40:18to hang out.
40:19Yeah.
40:20With the gorgeous view.
40:21Yeah.
40:22The pavilion is going to be like the central
40:24gathering space for all of our guests.
40:27It really just begs for people to come and sit down
40:30and enjoy the river.
40:31Makes it look like a resort.
40:33It is a resort.
40:34That's the idea.
40:35Also, kayak rack.
40:37Yes.
40:38Wow.
40:39That's from the local cedar.
40:40What an idea.
40:41What an idea.
40:42Also, this is an idea you can absolutely build on.
40:46But here's a start.
40:48Your first yoga class, you know?
40:50Yes.
40:51We won't be going anywhere now.
40:53We're just going to spend more time out back.
40:56All right.
40:57Want to check out the lounge?
40:57We want to see this.
40:59What do you think?
41:00Oh, no.
41:03It's got a totally different energy feel.
41:06It's so homey.
41:08Yeah.
41:09So I wanted it to feel eclectic,
41:10but also, you know, taking in the natural woods.
41:13So we have these Adirondacks,
41:15but I also thought it'd be really fun to play with,
41:17like a webbing chair,
41:18because when you went camping as a kid, right?
41:21So elevated camp lodge was really the theme here.
41:25So when you talk about someone calling to do a wedding
41:27or have an event, like this is what they want to see.
41:29Yeah.
41:30She has incorporated wellness, community,
41:32and family into every aspect of the design
41:36in a way that we couldn't have even thought of.
41:39Oh my goodness.
41:40Okay, so we were talking about the idea
41:43of doing something fun for your guests.
41:45Yeah.
41:46And it is called a Snacklebox.
41:49Wow.
41:51Sapna, do you know anyone who might want some s'mores?
41:53I think I can find some people.
41:55We'll be here.
41:56Okay.
41:57Getting them ready.
41:58People will love this place now.
42:00I know they always did,
42:01but this is really another 100% improvement.
42:06I know Sapna is going to enjoy the business
42:10she's going to carry on.
42:11Go, Prada Roots!
42:13Whoa, look at this fireplace.
42:16All right, who wants a s'more?
42:19Okay.
42:20We are thankful, grateful.
42:24Yes.
42:25Yabonga, of course.
42:27Yabonga.
42:28That's my Zulu for saying thank you.
42:31Those are huge marshmallows.
42:32I know, they're huge.
42:33Yeah.
42:35Yeah, you ready for another bite?
42:37Lindsay has lit my fire up by really bringing the dreams
42:41of my parents to life.
42:43All of the spaces that she's created for us,
42:46I very easily see spending another 30 years here.
42:50Three cheers for Miss Lindsay Ipip.
42:54Hooray!
42:55Ipip.
42:56Hooray!
42:57Ipip.
42:57Hooray!
42:59Yay!
42:59Yay!
43:00All the way.