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Lakeside Labor of
Love
It all started in 1998 at a bed &
breakfast in Dresden, Ohio. Traveling from their home in St.
Louis to tour Longaberger, Debbie and Ed Franko discovered
they loved staying in this type of inn. "We liked it so much
that we thought this was something we could do someday when we
retired," says Debbie.
Upon returning
home, they came up with the perfect name for their bed-&-
breakfast-to-be, a name that reflected both of their passions.
They even had a sign made that read: "Bass and Baskets,
Established 1998." Then they returned to their regular lives,
Debbie to teaching elementary school kids and Ed to managing
numerous KFC restaurants.
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But the seed
had been planted, and the dream refused to fade. Soon the
couple was touring lakefront properties with a realtor,
focusing on the Lake of the Ozarks where Ed had
participated in many bass-fishing tournaments. One Sunday
morning, Debbie and Ed drove past the home of an old
fishing buddy and noticed a "For Sale, No Realtors" sign
in the yard next door. Punching in the number, Ed realized
he was calling someone who lived in his old hometown of
Granite City, Ill. "I think it was meant to be," he says.
After a day of negotiations, "we walked away with the
key," marvels Debbie. |
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All that remained was to quit their jobs,
sell their home, remodel the 1960s cottage on the lake and
start a business neither of them knew anything about. "I
guess you might call us daring people," says the
gregarious Ed.
"Our friends thought we were crazy," adds
Debbie, "because we were leaving good jobs, a beautiful
home and moving to a rundown place with no money."
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Fearless and
excited, the pair hired a builder to add 4,500 square feet of
space to the existing 2,500-square-foot cottage. But after a
year, the builder left with the work undone. So the Frankos
ended up doing much of the interior work themselves. Cabinets,
tile, tongue-and-groove ceilings, hand-planed hardwood floors
- they tackled it all. "We didn't have experience before, but
we do now!" Ed exclaims.
Ed was working
on the fireplace in one of the bedrooms on Sept. 11, 2001 when
his son, Jonathon, called to alert them to the terrorist
attacks. "We stood there and talked about how our business
might go down the tubes before we even got the doors open,"
says Debbie somberly. Ed actually wrote what went on that day
on the inside of the fireplace.
Despite delays
and world events, the owners of the Bass and Baskets Bed &
Breakfast proudly opened in October 2001 and have never looked
back. Debbie enjoys decorating the four-guest-room inn with
her vast collection of Longaberger Baskets®, fabrics and
wrought iron accessories, not to mention serving world-class
breakfasts on Longaberger Pottery®. The "Baskets and Blooms"
and "Bed of Roses" rooms tend to appeal to women, while the
"Home Sweet Home" room with its Americana theme and the "Old
Bass Lodge" room with its outdoor décor "really appeal to
guys," assures Ed. All rooms feature fireplaces, whirlpool
tubs and plenty of Longaberger Baskets.
| Ed
has added old fishing lures and rods to the décor of the
common rooms, including a boat that actually hangs from
the ceiling.
The avid fisherman loves to take willing guests out on the
lake in his bass boat when he's not cooking, cleaning or
landscaping.
Landscaping has proven to be the toughest challenge. According to Ed, "We
brought in 18 tons of dirt and had to carry it down what
we call 'Cardiac Cliff' in five-gallon buckets."
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"It's hard
work, but the guests keep it so interesting," says Debbie.
"Last week, we had a five-star chef, an investment banker, a
lumber salesman and the owner of a day care center all
chatting together at the breakfast table. You never know who
will walk through your doors!" Guests have come from as far
away as Australia and South Africa, but all enjoy the
easygoing atmosphere of the place.
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"We were part of a home tour that raised
$12,000 for local charities last year," says Ed proudly,
"and one of the guests commented that ours wasn't the
biggest place but it felt like a real home built by real
people to be really lived in.".
"Some people come here just for the
baskets," adds Debbie, who first started collecting
Longaberger Baskets in 1994, became an Independent
Longaberger Sales Consultant in 1995 and joined the
Collectors Club in 1996. "I love to share my passion for
baskets with everyone who comes here," she says. "I really
use my baskets, and people take home new ideas for using
theirs after they visit." The couple makes a donation to
Longaberger's Horizon of Hope® campaign every time a
Collectors Club member or consultant stays with them.
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It's no wonder
that 50 percent of Bass and Baskets' business is repeat
business. In addition to the beautiful year-round lake views,
the dogwood trees bloom in the spring, the oak and hickory
trees blaze in the fall, and eagles can be spotted in winter.
All summer long, the bass and skiing boats are plentiful, as
are restaurants, shopping opportunities and rocking chairs.
"Our goal is to help 350 couples relax this year," Ed says.
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Bass and Baskets provides a journal in every room so that
guests may leave compliments and suggestions behind.
"After the guests check out, the first thing I do is read
the journals," says Ed. "These people are tired from their
jobs, just like we used to be. They need a break. I read
their comments, and it makes me smile to know we've made a
difference in their lives."
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