SOLD! IN BAR HARBOR

In April of 1986, Kim Swan sold her first inn in Bar Harbor, Maine, known then as The Elmhurst on Holland Avenue. The inn was purchased by Bill and Darlene DeMao from Pennsylvania. The DeMaos renovated the inn, changed the name and began their tenure at The Graycote Inn soon becoming mentors to new innkeepers coming to Town. Kim, Darlene and Bill became fast best friends as she watched and supported their efforts and learned so much about creating a successful B&B.

Starting in the real estate business very young, Kim saw the selling of B&B Inns as a niche that she could specialize in and focus on which she saw as more exciting than selling houses. At the time, a career in the real estate business was not something that was entirely appealing to Swan. She needed more of a challenge. The creation of the role, Inn/B&B Specialist did the job. In the ensuing years Kim sold many inns and was joined by others who helped bring the specialty and the Swan brand Statewide.

This week, 31 years almost to the day, the Graycote Inn was sold again, for the fourth time.

Today, two young women have embraced the Inn/B&B brokerage specialty with Swan and are rising stars in the industry. Erica Brooks and Alyssa Bouthot are clearly the next generation of Inn/B&B Specialists in Maine. Already this spring Bouthot represented the sellers of the Bradley Inn and Brooks represented the buyers of the Graycote Inn. Both are currently listing brokers of several Maine inns and are working with inn buyers.

The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty brokers have the the benefit of understanding today's Inn/B&B industry in Maine, both the challenges and the triumphs. As a new generation joins the business, we have a new generation trained expertly in the brokerage side of the business and ready to help. Alyssa Bouthot is also the Operations Manager of Swan Hospitality Group which oversee's Swan owned hospitality properties, currently located in Portland, Rockland and Manchester. Erica Brooks has been involved with Swan's properties since joining the Company over 10 years ago, learning much as Swan did from the DeMaos and others over the years. They are on point for understanding what innkeepers are dealing with today in real time. Beyond brokers, they are exposed to operations, marketing and the development component of the hospitality industry in Maine.

We congratulate Roger and Pat Samuel who spent over 20 years as the innkeepers at The Graycote, and Bob and Anne Bahr, the fourth owners assisted by The Swan Agency to purchase this wonderful property. We are excited to see the next chapter of this downtown Bar Harbor inn. Thank you Samuels and Bahrs for allowing us to assist you in this transaction.