How do you balance organic , authentic growth with aggressive expansion ? Can you tell us about your plans ?
This is what I wake up every day trying to figure out ! In my many years in large corporate environments , I had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented leaders , developers , and creators on a global scale . I saw growth happen fast and experienced both the positive and challenging effects of that growth . As Main Street opens our eighth property this summer in eight years , we are really proud of both the organic and strategic growth we have manifested , and the balance of our portfolio to include diverse types of hospitality . Iconic historic hotels , design-driven boutiques , destination luxury , affordable fun-design properties - all of these fit within the Main Street universe . As long as the partners are good people , the project has meaning to the community , and the economics make sense , we will look deeply at the opportunity .
As our identity and value proposition in the market has deepened , opportunities are coming our way naturally which is great , and we have an ambitious plan that has us growing significantly and thoughtfully over the next five years and beyond . I lean on an incredible leadership team to keep me honest and “ not fall in love with the project ” that may not be right for us . Growing too fast , veering away from our values and mission , and stretching our teams way beyond capacity , is not the path we seek .
Our new openings this year are pretty exciting , the Canoeplace Inn and the Hotel Downstreet
How have your guests evolved over the last two years and what are they looking for ?
Oh my . Well , obviously there has been a paradigm shift . We have seen both deep appreciation for our properties and what we do to keep them thriving , as well as exhaustion and frustration from guests who are just weighed down by the stress of this period we have been living through . Our approach to hospitality focuses on empathy and connection and finding ways to provide guests with an experience that is memorable and reassuring in this crazy time .
We have seen a remarkable rebounding in demand which is of course exciting , and have only been challenged to be sure can meet expectations from a staffing and resources standpoint . Communication has never been more important and our job is still to exceed guest expectations no matter the circumstances .
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