New owner of Honey Run making commitment to locals

  • By Dave Mast
  • January 11, 2010
  • 1145
                        
Many of the aspects of The Inn & Spa at Honey Run will remain as they have been. Just don’t tell new owner Jason Nies that it’s going to be business as usual. “Business as usual is not a term we want to use here at the inn,” said Nies, with a soft chuckle. “We are in the process of evaluating everything that the inn, spa and restaurant are currently doing. We want to continue to do what we do best, but there are always ways we can improve, and those are the things we want to find.” Since taking over the helm of the inn in October 2009, Nies has made no bones about where he will begin the process of investigating what the public wants. He and his staff have made a commitment to connect with the local community to see what they would like in a local getaway, whether for the restaurant, a night’s stay or the use of the spa for a relaxing escape. Nies is excited about making a bigger commitment to the local community, and feels as though the inn has to make strides in reconnecting with the local people. “Reaching out to the local community is something that we feel is of the utmost importance,” said Nies. “It’s important to us that the locals be a big part of where we want to go with the inn and spa. I think the inn has been looked at like a place for tourists to utilize for too long now. We want feedback from the locals, to understand what they want, what they feel we could change in order to make this a place where they feel compelled to spend time, whether it’s dining or taking advantage of the spa facility.” Nies, who took ownership of the inn and spa from former owner Phil Jenkins on Oct. 1, wants to get back to much of the vision which founder Marge Stock had decades ago when the inn first opened, creating a rustic yet elegant inn seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Nies’ career in business had escalated to that of owning the 50,000-square-foot antique mall on Heritage Square in Columbus before selling it three years ago. Since then he has been diligently seeking an opportunity which would provide a new challenge. Bed and breakfasts moved to the forefront, and country inns continued to crop up in his research. The Inn & Spa at Honey Run appeared on his list of options, and one trip to Amish Country, and he was sold on the myriad of possibilities the inn provided. “When I first spent time here, I was just blown away by this place,” said Nies. “You come up this winding driveway, and this beautiful inn just explodes out of nowhere. I was captivated by the beauty of the facility, as well as the incredible serenity of the surroundings. Nothing else has the feel of this place when you walk in the front doors.” It didn’t take long for Nies’ passion for the inn to turn into a contract allowing him to purchase the property, and from day one he has made it plain that he doesn’t want to be an owner who comes in and completely changes things. He only wants to carry on the successful aspects of the inn while divining what will make the inn and spa more appealing not just to tourists, but to those who live in Amish Country. He has already made a commitment to utilizing the talents of local artists, whether it is music, scrapbooking, calligraphy or any of the countless artisans living in and around Holmes County. He plans to offer seminars and activities that he hopes will be as inviting to the locals as it will be to the tourists. “I didn’t come in here to make the Inn & Spa at Honey Run about me,” said Nies. “This is about the team here, and the people who live here creating an experience that is good for everyone.” “We want to make this a total experience where people can leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated,” added Jennifer Swede, special events coordinator. “I think Jason’s vision of what he wants to see here is very much like Marge’s was. He’s not the kind of person who wants to be in the limelight. He truly wants to sit back, look and listen to what the people who call Holmes County home want to see in an inn and spa, and make this a place where locals want to spend time because they enjoy the atmosphere.” Traditions like Raid the Kitchen, which began in the Stock regime and started with an evening where locals were invited to come and partake of whatever was in the kitchen, remain. While it isn’t an actual raiding of the kitchen — the all-you-can-eat buffet on Sunday evenings, beginning at 6 p.m., has a planned buffet which varies from week to week, and costs $14.95 per person (special rates for kids 12 and under) — it is a more relaxed atmosphere, where patrons can kick back, enjoy live music and lively conversation, as well as some unique prepared cuisines which you may not find anywhere else in the area. The night also includes a fireside presentation of some kind, whether it is music, storytelling or educational. With the thought in mind that many local people have not taken the time over the years to understand what the inn and spa offers, Nies believes the evening can serve as a way to reintroduce the inn and spa to the local community. “We’re not sure why, but there seems to be a lot of people around here who don’t really know what services we provide. Raid the Kitchen is a very relaxed, different dining experience,” said Nies. “We serve things like roasted pork loin, salmon and other dishes you won’t commonly see just anywhere. People can call in to get that night’s menu, and we will be more than happy to show people around the facility while they are here. “There’s a lot here for the locals to discover. What we are seeking is not so much of a change as it is an embellishment of everything that Marge built this facility on. Exciting times are on the horizon here. It’s going to be fun, and I want the local people to be a part of that experience.”


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