Huron House Welcomes New Owners
Happy New Year to all of our guests of the Huron House! Welcome to the first installment of our blog. As many of you know, or have at least heard the rumor, the Huron House is under new ownership. As of May 23, 2013, my wife and I took possession of the Huron House from the original proprietors: Denny and Marti Lorenz. After 23 years, they have passed the hospitality torch to Karrie and me.
Like millions of Americans, I was frustrated with my job…or maybe just bored. I was working as the Director of Admissions at Howe Military School in Indiana and also serving as the school’s head football coach. In the education industry, there frequently isn’t a start or stop time and it began to wear on me. I remember coming home and telling Karrie that we were going to do something different. We didn’t exactly know what our “different” was going to look like. There is a romantic notion that people have about owning their own business. We were challenged by a friend to go out and take that risky step and do something on our own. Karrie and I kicked around a few ideas and eventually settled on owning a boutique hotel. A “Bed and Breakfast” was never on our radar. Through our exploration, we came across a Michigan Inn Broker that introduced us to Oscoda, Michigan and his listing of the Huron House. Karrie and I are self-proclaimed West Michigan resident snobs that didn’t think that the beaches of Lake Huron had much to offer. We always thought that the east side was rocky with bluffs. Our own ignorance was bliss. Well, like many of you, we fell in love with the Huron House on our first visit. Now we know, Oscoda is one of the top beach towns in Michigan. The beautiful beaches of Oscoda and Tawas offer some of the most spectacular views in the state. After consideration and through a long pain staking process, our dream became a reality.
Denny and I wanted to make the sale of the property very quiet. The employees didn’t even know until the day before we made the transition. We also tried to keep it quiet to the guests because with change comes fear. Many guests have told me to “not change a thing.” I can assure you, the experience you’ve had at the Huron House has only gotten better.
Many of the guests that have been here since we have taken over noticed many of the upgrades and enhancements that we’ve made. If you haven’t had a chance to visit us since May 23rd, we offer you a personal invitation to revisit what you have been missing.
I have had the chance to meet many of you this summer. You are the reason this job is the best in the world. I have loved hearing your memories of the Huron House and about the births of children and grandchildren. All of us at the Huron House view our guests like family. When Karrie and I are around, please say “hello.”
Karrie and I are committed to being a guest driven bed and breakfast. Many of the enhancements that we’ve made came at your request. We’ve been hard at work and have a few construction surprises that will be rolling out through the winter and spring.
Typically, I am around during the week. During the summer months I am around on the weekends as well. Don’t worry, Bev, Joy, and Rosalyn and all the housekeeping gang are still around working to make your Huron House experience memorable. Richard, our maintenance man, has been making the place stellar.
Thanks for staying with us and Karrie and I look forward to meeting you all soon!
Al & Karrie Heminger
