People ask me all the time if I had always wanted to own an inn but the truth is, the thought had never really crossed my mind. It wasn’t like I played “innkeeper” as a littler girl; I actually wanted to be a librarian! I had been a stay-at-home mom raising our three kids and with our youngest son about to go off to college, I wasn’t at all sure what I wanted my purpose to be “post kids”. What I did know was as an 8th-generation Tucson, I was so excited by all the amazing things happening in downtown Tucson, proud and inspired by all of the growth and development. All I knew was that I wanted to be one of those people bringing their energy, talents and passion and turning downtown Tucson into a dynamic and economically vibrant place where people would want to work, live and play.
A stay in an adorable b&b while on a quick visit to our daughter in Nashville planted the seed that opening a B&B in the heart of downtown Tucson might be just the ticket to combining all the things I loved: my cherished hometown, design, travel, talking to strangers and hospitality. So after a few false starts, my realtor-now-friend brought me to a listing he thought might be a good fit. I will never forget, as we walked in the front door, he said as much to himself as anybody, “wow…just think of all the stories of all the people that have crossed this threshold.” From that point on, I was hooked. I bought the house, called some talented friends and got to work.
Now I get to share my love of Tucson, its rich history and its treasures with people from all over the world and get to listen to the stories of the people who continue to cross the threshold into the Armory Park Inn. I do love my town!
