After being Grinnellians, Evan and Abby Petig are now owners of The Grinnellian. The Victorian home is a destination spot for visitors to Grinnell, with six elegant rooms and decorative lounging and dining spaces.
Before the Victorian home became The Grinnellian, however, the bed and breakfast was run by past owners Dorothy and Ray Spriggs as the Carriage House. Although the business has new owners and a new name, the Petigs are committed to offering the same great care and service.
“Even though we are seven weeks out, we are still trying not to break anything,” laughs Evan. “Thanks to the Spriggs, this place already has such a great reputation.”
The Petigs, who both graduated from Grinnell College, were excited to set their sights on a new entrepreneurial adventure. Their goal in inheriting the bed and breakfast? “To show the best of Grinnell.”
Their dream came at the perfect time. When Dorothy was ready to retire, she knew she wanted the Victorian home to absolutely remain a bed and breakfast, no doubt about it.
“We thought it might take a long time to find the right buyer. But it wasn’t long before Evan and Abby came along,” Dorothy shares with the Chamber Ambassadors. (As part of the sale, the Petigs also inherited some of Dorothy’s recipes, so her delicious foods continue to fuel visitors during their stays in Grinnell!)
“This space could have become a single-family home, or a rental space, but we were set on keeping it as a bed and breakfast,” says Evan. “It’s a great asset to the community, and with people interested in this modern Victorian home, we are thinking long-term of what more we can do with this space.”
Right now, there is a taste of Grinnell’s local businesses in the newly owned Grinnellian. In one room, a donated record player from the Grinnell Historical Museum shines in the corner. For breakfast, delicious scrambled eggs courtesy of Grinnell Farm To Table or sourdough bread from the popular Grin City Bakery call your name from the dining room table. Online, social media posts and their newly created TikTok account is produced by local marketing agency Double You Marketing, Inc.!
“But we also want to have events to pair with our local products,” says Evan. “We have a big community space — we have beautiful lighting and a wonderful work space — so our goal is to take something great and put a spin to it.”
As the Grinnellian looks to expand to other groups of people, like tourists and visiting professionals, they are eager to partner with area businesses and welcome guests to our quaint Grinnell community. Plus, over academic breaks, Grinnell College families often stay at The Grinnellian — including families of faculty and staff members! “It’s so nice to see mentions of us on the Parents of Grinnell College Facebook group,” says Evan. For those hoping to stay in a more handicapped-accessible space, the Petigs are already planning to remodel a suite in the home in the future.
Excitedly, the Grinnellian is expanding to invite local residents into the fun! If you would like to reserve the space for photo shoots or small weddings, bachelorette, and graduation parties, visit their website, https://www.thegrinnellian.com/, or call 515-778-8203 today! And if you are curious to hear about new events, follow them on Facebook, The Grinnellian, and Instagram, @thegrinnellian.
Chamber Ambassadors, from left to right:
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