Meet Your Merchant - Five Gables Inn & Spa

Name Of Business:  Five Gables Inn & Spa

Location: 209 North Talbot St.

Website: www.fivegables.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FiveGablesInn

Phone number: 410-745-0100

Hours of operation: 7 days/week, year ‘round

Who are the owners?  John & Bonnie Booth

How and why you started your business?  Armed with four Golden Retrievers and four cats, John & Bonnie made their way to the Eastern Shore in search of a more tranquil lifestyle.  John kept his eye on an historic brick building situated in a prime location downtown.  When it came on the market in 1992, he purchased it, renovated it, coined it The Brick House and helped Bonnie open a fine needlepoint shop called B’s Stitches.  In 1995, the building next to the Brick House came up for sale.  John and Bonnie renovated it as well, joining the two houses to create an eight-room bed and breakfast property.  Three years later, they noticed that the stately, colonial-style white house across the street was for sale.  The Booths’ purchased it, renovated it and added eight more guest rooms an indoor pool and Spa to entice guests to visit during the winter months.  The name was then changed to Five Gables Inn & Spa.  Today, Five Gables has 20 guest rooms and suites, an Aveda Spa and a dedicated meeting facility that can accommodate groups up to 20 people.

 What do you sell/make/do?  We offer our guests luxurious accommodations, a comforting and relaxing spa as well as exceptional Eastern Shore hospitality.

Where is your business located and why did you choose your location? Five Gables is located right on the main street of St. Michaels, within walking distance to all the town has to offer.

What strategy do you use to draw people to your establishment? We use a wide variety of different marketing techniques customized to appeal to discerning travelers.

What is your strategy for growth in the next year?  As technology constantly changes, we continually educate ourselves to stay on top of the latest trends.

What is the best thing about running a business here?  We feel that St. Michaels offers the best in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  After all St. Michaels is the “Heart and Soul of the Chesapeake Bay”