Historic Willis Graves B&B in Burlington under new ownership — ‘a dream come true’

By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

For Rick Demaret, it was a dream come true.

“I’ve always wanted to own and operate a B&B,” the new owner and innkeeper at Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast in Burlington, told the Northern Kentucky Tribune .

“Fifteen years ago, I put in a bid to buy a B&B in California and didn’t get it,”
 he said.

Well, he got the Willis Graves and started just about a month ago.

But how?

“I was born in Fairfield, Calif., lived on the Travis Air Force base there, as my dad was a pilot,” he said.

And if you thought Rick’s dad, put on the miles, well son was not too far behind. “We moved to Ridgefield, Conn., and I graduated from Ridgefield High. It was the only high school in Ridgefield,” he laughed.

Then the service industry bug hit – hard. “In college — the University of Colorado – I waited tables. Truly enjoyed working and serving people,” he said.

Selling software – in San Francisco – was next for Demaret.

“I did it for some 30 years; but the B&B bug haunted me,” he said. “When I turned 60 – he’s 61 now – I said it’s time to go for my dream.”

So, he got on-line – InnShopper.com – looking for his dream – a B&B. “I didn’t want to go deep South. I put-down an offer to Jennifer Goodman at Willis Graves, sight unseen.

“But she made me come out and see it,” he said.

Goodman owned the renowned Willis Graves for some seven years and decided to move to Gloucester, Mass. As for Demaret, he spent a week in Burlington – at the inn – “In each of the rooms,” he said.

“It took a couple of months to close the deal, then I came here for good – with Ivy – at the end of September,” he said.

Ivy is his 11-year-old French bulldog.

The Willis Graves B&B is a good one. It is rated 5.0 Excellent on Trip/Advisor. And was voted the Number One Bed & Breakfast in Kentucky; with a two-time Traveler’s Choice Award.

Three homes constitute the Willis Graves B&B.

“The Main House was built in 1830,” Demaret said.

Additionally, there is the one-room Garden Cottage, two-bedroom Log Cabin, and the Main House has two bedrooms as well, according to the new innkeeper.

“People are coming here to see the foliage, and they’re booking on-line,” he said. “We charge from $229-289 a-night which includes a gourmet breakfast.”

“Most people can’t finish the breakfast,” says assistant innkeeper Michaela Paoli, who has been at the inn for six months and worked for the previous ownership.

Why stay?

“I like this lifestyle business,” she said.

But what about that breakfast? Paoli rattled off eggs, bacon, ham, potato pie, and grits. “It’s good southern cuisine,” she said.

Demaret says he has noticed that about 40-percent of his customers are repeat business – and they age anywhere from newlyweds, anniversaries, and seniors.

“They’re mostly from the Midwest and Texas,” he claims.

It took a Californian to welcome them to Kentucky.

The Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast is located at:5825 N. Jefferson St., Burlington.

The post Historic Willis Graves B&B in Burlington under new ownership — ‘a dream come true’ appeared first on NKyTribune .