Sunday, July 16, 2000

Couple built B&B with an 'old-house feel'

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Oxford-in-autumn colors beck oned retirees from Florida

By Jenny Callison
Enquirer contributor

        Many Ohioans dream of moving to Florida when they retire. Florida residents John and Linda Alexander pursued their retirement dreams to Ohio.

JOHN AND LINDA ALEXANDER IN THE KITCHEN OF THEIR NEW HOME. (Dick Swaim photo) | ZOOM |

        For several years the couple gathered information about operating a bed-and-breakfast. They collected antique furniture in preparation for transforming a roomy Victorian home into an inviting hostelry.

        In 1994, Mr. Alexander wound up his career with Sysco Foods in southern Florida.

        “We looked for an older home, and wanted to find a nice college in a small town near a large city,” said Mr. Alexander.

        His wife called her cousin in Mrs. Alexander's hometown of Sidney, Ohio.

        “What do you know about Miami University?” she asked.

        After one visit to Oxford in 1994 at the peak of fall color, Mrs. Alexander knew they'd found their destination. What eluded them was that roomy Victorian home to convert. So they decided to build a new house with an old feel.

        Several obstacles remained. They needed to find the right property. Then there was the matter of financing, and figuring out how to build what they wanted at a price they could afford.

        Locating a well-situated 5 acres just north of Oxford was the easy part. And they knew that Mrs. Alexander would be the general contractor, which would save on construction and fixture costs. She came up with a design, then shopped it around to several architects.

        “They told her it would cost $100 a square foot to build. We knew from experience we could do it for less,” said Mr. Alexander. “Linda found a female architect in Batavia who agreed, and was willing to work with us.”

        Securing a construction loan was a problem. The Alexanders had no track record as contractors in Ohio, although Mrs. Alexander had built a home in Florida.

        “Banks generally are leery of owner-builders, and they also didn't think we were borrowing enough money to complete the job,” said Mr. Alexander.

        After several banks turned them down, the Alexanders secured financing through Farmers State Bank in West College Corner, Ind. Construction began in the wet spring of 1998, and the White Garden Inn opened six months later.

        “One of the things I tried to do is incorporate an old-house feel into a new house,” Mrs. Alexander said, adding that her design emphasized spaciousness, with 10-foot ceilings on the ground floor and 9-foot ceilings in the guest rooms upstairs.

        As the building took shape, Mrs. Alexander set up her sewing machine and whipped up window treatments, shower curtains, comforters and dust ruffles for each of the five guest bedrooms. She developed an overall color scheme for the main rooms that would allow the purchase of floor coverings in large quantity, but designed each guest room with its own colors and decor.

        The couple joke about the squeaky floorboards in some spots upstairs, a result of damp weather during construction.

        “People ask, "Which part of the house is original?'” Mrs. Alexander said with a laugh.

        The Alexanders bought everything they could from local merchants. Much of what they couldn't find in the Oxford area they ordered through a Home Depot store in Cincinnati. Because Mrs. Alexander was the contractor and because the couple bought floor coverings, fabrics and fixtures in large quantities, they were able to negotiate favorable prices.

        Their final building cost was a stunning $46 per square foot.

        As the project neared completion, the Alexanders worked on the fine points. They set prices that are competitive with other area properties. Unlike many other B&B establishments, they elected to equip each room with a telephone and an unobtrusive television.

        Mrs. Alexander is the owner, chef, gardener and decorator. Mr. Alexander, who also works for Miami University, handles the financial matters. Many of their guests come to town for university-related events, but the White Garden Inn is also attracting Tristate residents looking for a special place to house a wedding party, spend a honeymoon or celebrate an anniversary.

        The Cincinnati Enquirer/DICK SWAIM John and Linda Alexander in the spacious kitchen of the White Garden Inn, their bed and breakfast outside Oxford.

        Some p's and q's for B&Bs

        “There are no rules,” said John Alexander, but he and his wife offered a few tips for keeping the business in the black and owners in the pink.

        • Consult a tax accountant before and during your planning.

        • There are books and courses available on the B&B business. Mrs. Alexander took such a course in Orlando, Fla., well before embarking on her own venture.

        • Don't quit your day job. Many people operate a bed-and-breakfast just for tax write-offs on their homes-turned-hostels. Others hope just to break even. It's a rare establishment that makes enough profit to support its owners entirely.

        • Plan on 16-hour days when you have guests.

        • To avoid burnout, owners should make sure their own quarters are not only private but separate and inaccessible to guests. Just hanging up a sign that says “Private” won't discourage a chatty soul from joining you in front of the TV, said Mr. Alexander.

        If you go The White Garden Inn is at 6194 Brown Road, Oxford. Telephone (513) 524-5827 or (800) 324-4925. Rates range from $75 to $125 per night.

       

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