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Lyons' bed and breakfast evolves with the years
In 1990, a local woman left her daycare center, which she ran for eight years, and opened a bed and breakfast. Twenty years later, Pat Lyons is still going strong.
More affectionately known as Miss Pat, Lyons has been in the bed and breakfast business, owning The Lyons Twin Mansions, for 20 years. She said she has found her niche in an industry where the burnout rate is about four years.
"Twenty years ... that's a long time in this business," she said. "Obviously, this suits us very well."
Part of Lyons' success is her ability to reinvent her business over and over. Many things have changed in the industry over the last 20 years. The need for technology and independence have created the need to separate from what she calls, "grandma's bed and breakfast with the bathroom down the hall."
"Today, we find it's really important that our guests realize that we are a lot more than a bed and breakfast," she said.
Lyons said the latest evolution was the addition of a restaurant. She said that as the average age of guest gets younger, she has realized that younger people don't want to be told what to have for breakfast and they don't want to have to tell her when they will be waking up in the morning. Also, she is now catering toward the technological needs of the guests, operating more like a hotel but keeping the bed-and-breakfast feel.
"Part of our evolving this 20th year to not be your grandma's bed and breakfast anymore was to add hotel (to their name) and add freedom to our guests," Lyons said. "We're treating them like grown-ups. They don't have to run it by mama. ... They can sleep in as late as they want and if they want lunch for breakfast, that's fine too."
Lyons added that being a business owner has many benefits -- the greatest of which is not having to answer to anyone.
One instance where that was proven true was when she had a man stay for a few days on business who had injured his shoulder. He asked for a room with a recliner because he would not be able to sleep in a bed. She said she was more than happy to accommodate his needs and even went beyond.
Before the man had returned later that first afternoon, she had gone to Care4All Home Medical Equipment and explained the situation to the staff who recommended a wedge that could be placed in the bed so the guest would not have to sleep in the recliner.
Having the ability to be flexible, Lyons said, is good for her and her guests. She said that it makes guest feel comfortable, knowing that if there is something they need, she will likely be able to get it for them. For example, a man called to make a reservation who needed access to a Wi-Fi (wireless Internet) connection and there was nowhere in town that had it except the business he would be working in for a few days. By the time the man arrived, a Wi-Fi connection was available.
For most women, trying be a successful business owner was quite difficult 20 years ago, however, Lyons said that in her industry, it was quite the opposite.
"If anything I think it is an advantage," she said. "Hospitality comes naturally to me."
Lyons said she feels her personality played a large part in her success and that of the Lyons Twin Mansions. She added that people who want to remain anonymous should not visit because she likes making eye contact with guests, learning about their lives and families, and becoming friends.
"I think I have this reputation ... so automatically people treat me very well and respectfully," she said. "In many ways, I think that keeps the environment here very excellent."
Especially in recent years, the successful evolution of the Lyons Twin Mansions would not have been possible without the help of Lyons' son, Nate, who has been a business partner for five years. She said he has had a tremendous influence when it comes to technology and meeting the needs of younger guests.
Nate's influence can been seen in the new plasma screen televisions in each room, which Lyons said took a year for her to be convinced to buy. One of the biggest changes Lyons had to make was when she quit wearing the 1800s period clothing. He also helped streamline the layout and decoration of the homes while still maintaining the Victorian style.
"I have discovered that just because it is flat doesn't mean that you have to put something on it, which is a tendency grandmothers have," she said. "(Nate's) influence has been excellent."
Lyons son, Ben, has also been helping with the new restaurant.
She said working with her children has been a wonderful experience.
And having them around has helped them grow and realize what it takes to own a business.
"It's nice to see. I think they're beginning to realize how difficult creating a business is, maintaining a business is, and developing a loyal following," she said. "Every day is just an explosion of emotion and activity and involvement. There are so many events and celebrations that occur here. Sometimes there are very sad things, too, and they come here for comfort, and that is very satisfying as well."
With two decades under her belt, Lyons said she does not have any plans to slow down. She is excited to wake up each morning and go to work with people who love what she does. Now, she is just waiting for the next stage.
"I'm waiting for the next evolution. This was really fun this year," she said. "It will be fun to see what we do next. We are forever evolving."