We were lucky to catch up with ANITA KUDASIK recently and have shared our conversation below.
ANITA, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
For us, the idea to execution operation was focused more on our renovation process than the actual startup of the business! I was born into a hospitality family and operating hotels has always been something that we have been involved in. So when an opportunity to purchase a motel of my own presented itself, the actual startup was something that we were familiar with. However, something that was new to us was purchasing a dilapidated property and envisioning a new life for it. Almost everything that meets the guest’s eye today has been, in one way or another, renovated within the last five years. Rewind to May of 2018 and one would see a completely different place. When we first purchased the motor lodge it was in dire need of a full revamp. We’re talking way beyond just cosmetic fixes that are easy to recognize. There was a lot of potential here and we just had to figure out the best way to go about the improvements. We started off ensuring that the structure itself received the necessary upgrades. We prioritized things like fixing the roof on all three buildings to stop leaks. We replaced doors and windows in every room and blew installation between the walls to help regulate temperature. We removed old gas heaters and replaced them with new Eco-friendly AC/heat units. And this was all within the first year in half of being here. We stayed operational during our renovations as we had to fund the upgrades to the property with our earnings. Next, we slowly began chipping away at the actual guest rooms. Each room was gutted and completely redesigned. From the carpets on the floor to the tiles on the wall – everything was replaced. We knew that the outside layout of the motel gave off vintage vibes and decided early on that we would go with a modern/retro theme for the property. We designed each room to give it an individuality that you won’t find at a cookie-cutter hotel. This process lasted about 2 years as we had 20 rooms to design and renovate. We also added a one-of-a-kind kitchenette suite to the motel to increase the total number of rooms to 21. Within the last year in a half was have re-done the exterior of the entire motel and slightly rebranded our logo resulting in a new sign going up. Currently, we are working on restoring the lobby and check-in area! And beyond that, we have a few more projects on the books! It has been extremely important that we executed the renovation process in a way that not only made sense construction wise but was also financially reasonable for us. And although there have been times where I wish we could have made certain improvements before others, I really do recognize that we have come a long way and have accomplished a lot in the most practical way possible!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As I mentioned, the hospitality industry is something that I have always been around. From the day my parents brought me home from the hospital to the day I left for college, we lived on-site the hotel that they owned and operated. Being raised on-site at the hotel basically helped mold my passion and drive towards this industry. However, it wasn’t until my third semester in college that I redirected my studies back towards hospitality. I found a home at Metro State University of Denver where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management. While completing my studies in Denver, I was presented with the opportunity to become a hotelier: the retiring owner of Salida’s (my hometown) American Classic Inn asked my family if we wanted to purchase the property, and that’s how my journey started!
Today, we are FAR from your cookie-cutter corporate chain! We are family owned and operated and pride ourselves on doing things a little differently. We have taken practices from traditional hospitality and blended them with modern trends of current travelers to create a hosting experience that is unlike any other motel!
Friendly service, unique amenities, and an ideal location in the heart of the Colorado Rockies make AMERICAN CLASSIC MOTOR INN a must-see for every American road trip!
We have re-designed the typical motel room from a sterile and cold environment to a colorful and fun space that will keep you coming back for more! Classic retro feels mixed with a distinctive flair create nostalgic memories! Our motor lodge layout lets guest park directly in front of their rooms!
From our drive-thru check-in to our morning grab’ n ’go and snack room – we are reshaping the guest experience.
We are always working towards keeping our accommodations up-to-date and innovative. Our exclusive style, attention to detail, and commitment to guest satisfaction will ensure a one-of-a-kind experience!
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
This has been a rewarding but challenging journey! Buying a rundown business and rebuilding / rebranding while staying operational and funding our progress was a huge undertaking. Our first season here we were able to fund the necessary projects but that left us with nothing extra. Despite all the effort and money that we had invested into the motel, our rooms were still rundown and had to be sold at a lower rate, one of the cheapest in town.
Our second season brought in good returns, however, right as we were planning the cosmetic renovations inside the rooms we were hit with another unforeseen obstacle: COVID-19.
Being a primary tourist town, Chaffee County Public Health restricted travel for leisure purposes and deterred tourists by restricting all lodging in Salida. This crushed the economy of our town as we are mostly dependent on tourism. There were multiple times where I wondered if we were going to make it. We didn’t have any reserves and now without our normal influx of tourists, I knew we had to remain open for essential workers or that was going to be it.
In the end, we prevailed and now things are looking bright for the future! We’re constantly working on new projects to help make this one of the best roadside motels around!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
This topic has been something that I have gotten a whole new perspective on – and quite honestly feel strongly about. Reputation management is not only important but can also be extremely difficult in today’s “cancel culture” society. I feel that reviews and their corresponding platforms are more relevant in service industries than other ones. Furthermore, I feel that people today use certain platforms to bully and harass businesses more than to provide constructive feedback. For example, when we first purchased the motel, our rating on Expeida.com (and their partners) was a 2.2 – which was deservingly low. However, over the course of the last four in a half years, we have managed to raise that rating to 8.6, which is among the top rated properties for the area. On Booking.com we have also raised our score to 8.6 which is one of the highest rated properties on that site for Salida. In addition, we have maintained a superhost status on Airbnb since listing our rooms. All of this goes to show that we really do care about guest experience and the overall state of our business.
Nonetheless, we rate much lower on a handful of different platforms. Easy access to public forums ( like Google/Tripadvisor/Yelp ) has ruined the integrity of the review system and many businesses operate in fear of receiving negative retaliatory reviews for a single mishap. Online bullies are a thing and a part of our culture is shifting towards giving customers all the power. It’s time to remind consumers that behind every small business is an actual person, not a tool of perfection. I hope other small businesses realize that a negative review is only as powerful as you allow it to be and remind you that by responding to these reviews, you allow the public to see another side of the story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.americanclassicinn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanclassicinn/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americanclassicinn
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehappyhotelier
Image Credits
Sagebrush Souls Photography Amanda Schwengel