Chapter 9 #2
But the potential… That was all he could see after stumbling onto the property the previous winter while out plowing snow. He couldn’t get the idea out of his mind, and he’d learned to run with things that interested him as much as this place did.
Big Mac arrived a few minutes later, parking his pickup next to Mac’s and greeting his son with the usual big smile, as if they hadn’t seen each other in days rather than hours.
“Haven’t been out here in years,” Big Mac said. “Remember coming for the petting zoo the Conways used to do around Halloween every year?”
“I remember.”
With his hands on his hips, Big Mac took a look around. “It’s fallen on hard times since they died.”
“That it has.”
“What’re we doing here, son?”
“I’m having a thought…”
Big Mac propped aviator sunglasses on top of his wiry gray hair. “What thought is that?”
“Take a walk with me.” Mac led his father through the split-rail fence that was mostly rotted and covered in a thick layer of moss.
The grass hadn’t been mowed in years and had become a meadow of wildflowers and weeds that led straight down to the water’s edge.
A gigantic barn made of stone and wood was covered with colorful ivy, and the pervasive stink of alpaca urine filled the air.
“It sure is fragrant,” Big Mac said, pulling a face.
Mac laughed. “Indeed. So, you know how we have high-end wedding elegance at the Chesterfield and beach weddings at the Wayfarer?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What if we were to renovate this place to offer shabby chic, rustic farm weddings with a million-dollar view of the ocean?”
“What the hell is shabby chic?”
“Rusty farm implements in the wedding pictures, repurposed wood and hay bales.” He led his father through a broken door into the vast barn. “Look at this place.”
Big Mac pulled a bandanna from his back pocket and put it over his nose and mouth. “It fucking reeks.”
Mac laughed at the blunt assessment of the foul odor.
“We could do something about that. Imagine the potential. We could turn the far side of the barn into an industrial-quality kitchen and the loft into a wedding-night suite for the happy couples. There could be a stage for bands, and the outbuildings could be used for wedding-party prep. We could put a bar over there and string lights in the trees and set up long, wooden, family-style tables for outdoor dining. I think it could be really cool.”
“You’ve given this a lot of thought, son.”
“I was out here to plow last winter and have been thinking about it ever since. We were too busy with the Wayfarer to take on anything new initially, but with that up and running and producing outstanding results, I thought maybe the family might want to take on another challenge.” They walked outside and down to where the land met the coast. “Imagine the wedding photos that could be taken here.” He gestured to a rusty tractor that had been nearly consumed by weeds.
“Just what every bride wants is a rusty tractor in her wedding photos.”
“That’s the thing. People who like the laid-back, relaxed vibe of this place would love to have the rusty tractor in their photos.
It’s a whole other demographic than we see at the Wayfarer or what Lizzie gets for the Chesterfield.
I think there’s a market for this kind of venue.
I got with Nikki about some numbers the other day, and she told me that for every bride she books at the Wayfarer, she turns away ten others because we’re at capacity.
Lizzie reports similar stats at the Chesterfield.
People want to get married here, but there’re limits to what’s available. ”
“It’s an interesting idea, I’ll give you that, and the view is phenomenal. That’d be a big selling point.”
“The rusty tractor would be, too,” Mac said, grinning at his dad.
“I’d have to take your word on that one.”
“Do you think the others would be interested in another project?”
“Based on the results at the Wayfarer this summer, I imagine they’d be intrigued. What’s it listing for?”
“One point eight million, but I think we could talk them down. The main building would need to be almost completely rebuilt, and some of the other buildings are in pretty rough shape, too.”
“And you’d want to take on the renovations, I presume.”
“Correct.”
“You guys are booked solid with the reno at the hotel this winter.”
“I was thinking we could tackle this after the hotel with a goal of opening the summer after next. I’m super excited about the possibilities here.
Maybe in the fall, we do a harvest fair or something with pumpkins and apples, pony rides, hayrides and face painting.
Just thinking out loud, but I think we could make it something fun and profitable. ”
They walked back toward their vehicles, and Big Mac leaned against his.
“I love the idea, and more than anything, I love that you love it. However… And don’t take this the wrong way, son, but you’re about to welcome twins who’ll make you a father of five.
You’ve already got a lot on your plate, and this would add a whole other wrinkle. ”
“I’ve thought of all that, and of course you’re right that a twin bomb is about to go off in our lives, but I can rely heavily on Luke, Shane, Riley and Finn.
Any one of them can step in for me as needed.
And not for nothing, I do need to keep them all employed year-round, and this would take care of that for another couple of years. ”
“True.”
“If we don’t snatch this place up, someone else will, and they’ll build yet another fancy big house on the coast. We need something like this. Not only is it tied to the island’s history, it brings something we don’t have now.”
Big Mac scratched at the fine layer of stubble on his jaw. “I really like the idea a lot.”
“Yeah?”
“Hell yeah. How about we run it by the family and see what they think?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I love your vision for what’s possible and how much thought you put into it. Reminds me of myself when I first saw the marina. I didn’t see the sagging roof or the broken windows. I just saw potential.”
“I hear I’m a chip off the old block,” Mac said.
“That you are, my friend. I couldn’t be prouder of the man, father, son and businessman you are.”
“Learned everything I know about all those things from you, Pop.”
“You learned good, son.”
“So tell me the truth about having five kids…”
Big Mac let out a big laugh. “That one you’re gonna have to learn for yourself.”