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w w w. m a i n e b i z . b i z 21 Ja n ua r y 1 2 , 2 0 1 5 Ferland also installed mini-split heat pumps in the rooms, enabling him to maintain a constant baseline warmth that improves guest comfort and helps mini- mize the use of a central propane burner he installed to replace the inn's expensive oil heating system. "Energy, by far, is one of our biggest expenses," he says. "Despite what the price of oil is now, I know it will go up." "I've put a lot of sweat equity into it," he adds. "I have some very committed employees who work full time on marketing and managing this place … It's definitely been a team effort." Bus tours and international travelers Jennifer Farmer, the inn's sales and marketing manager, sees evidence the interior upgrades and outer facelift, coupled with Ferland's strong focus on customer service and a greater attention to both traditional and online marketing, are beginning to pay off. A few bus tours have already returned to the inn, and several others have made inquiries for the coming summer and fall season, she says. "We've been getting the word out that there's a new owner," she says, noting that the inn's tavern and function rooms can host corporate retreats, holiday parties, trade group meetings, small conven- tions and group tours. Rates for the guest rooms range from $100 to $195 in the main building and from $100 to $165 in the separate Haley Pond lodge. "It's a dream job for me," Farmer says, noting her husband works at the nearby Saddleback Ski Area and that her previous jobs in the hospitality trade chiefly involved working for national hotel chains. "is is not a cookie-cutter building. It has so much charm and history; it's a step back in time." Both Farmer and Ferland say the Internet plays a big role in bookings — they note 70% of custom- ers visit the inn's website before booking — and that their exposure on booking.com has generated an increasing number of bookings from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. "I was surprised to see how quickly we are getting that business with little or no effort on our part," Ferland says of those bookings. "ey're drawn here because they've heard of the beauty of the Rangeley Lakes area," Farmer adds. "ey want to come to Maine and after they've spent some time on the coast, they want to see the mountains … ey also want to see a moose — it's pretty easy to see one around here if you know where to look." A sense of relief Not surprisingly, local merchants have taken note of Ferland's efforts to restore the inn to its former grandeur. "We've been delighted to have Travis take over the inn," says Wess Connally, co-owner with his wife of Books, Lines & inkers, which is a short walk from the inn and features an eclectic mix of books by local authors such as the well-known biologist Bernd Heinrich. Greeting cards and artwork by local artists complete the look and feeling of the bookstore. Connally acknowledges "a feeling of unsettle- ment" came over him when the inn briefly closed in 2012, setting the stage for the 2013 foreclosure auction. With the downtown's longtime pharmacy also being vacant at that time — it's since reopened as the Inner Eye, an espresso, pastry and gelato café —he began to wonder if Rangeley was in danger of becoming the western Maine stand-in for Maine humorist Tim Sample's classic joke about the "Eastport vacant building festival." "I'm dependent on the tourism trade," he says. "e biggest shopping season for us is July and August … Any time you get that place full, you're going to get walk-in business." "at's a huge landmark in Rangeley — it's the oldest hotel that's left," agrees Linda Dexter, owner of Ecopelagicon, a store that rents and sells kayaks, stocks a wide range of outdoor gear and nature books, includ- ing guidebooks of the Appalachian Trail and other items appealing to tourists, such as a moose-watching map identifying the best local spots. "Having some- thing that big not being open hurt the town. It's great to have it come back. Travis is terrific." Dexter says she gets a lot of walk-in customers from the inn, including visitors wanting to rent kay- aks and canoes from her to paddle in Hadley Pond, or who are interested in one of the guided paddles she and her daughter offer in the Rangeley Lakes region. In the last couple of years, she's noticed a growing number of international travelers who very much want "authentic" outdoor experiences in the ponds, lakes and mountains of western Maine. "ere's definitely a local flavor to the inn," she says. "It's not a Marriott in which wherever you are, they're all alike. It's definitely a unique place." J a m e s M c C a r t h y , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t j m c c a r t h y @ m a i n e b i z . b i z M A I N E M A S S A C H U S E T T S N E W H A M P S H I R E R H O D E I S L A N D WA S H I N G T O N , D C S W E D E N Sponsoring events like Mainebiz Five on the Future provides our business community with the information and knowledge needed for strategic success, ensuring future growth for the Maine economy. Pierce Atwood. There's a reason… Keeping an Eye on THE ROAD AHEAD PIERCEATWOOD.COM 14PA001_MB_Future_Five_Half_Horiz_Ad_Final_V2.indd 1 1/5/15 9:55 AM

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