Posted: 6/7/05
Lodging options emerge in Houston
Lokenís Sawmill Inn, Lilac & Lace now open for business
 Lilac & Lace owner Karmen Kinstler stands on the landing of the staircase, which features ornate woodwork. |
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
In the days before Interstate 90, Highway 16 was a major route, extending all the way to the West Coast. Motels and restaurants in small towns along the way did a brisk business.
When the interstate highway system was built, traffic bypassed many of the small towns, and the lodging industry began to disappear.
But with a new focus on tourism, opportunities for the hospitality business are opening up. In Houston, two new lodging facilities have opened within the past month, an optimistic sign that travelers are once again discovering this corner of the state.
Lokenís Sawmill Inn
Some history buffs may remember the sawmill that sat at the east edge of town. Today, thatís the site of Lokenís Sawmill Inn, a new hotel owned by John and Eileen Loken. It was Johnís grandfather who owned the old sawmill, so John named the inn as a reminder of that piece of Houston history.
John Loken said he had the idea for a motel about three years ago, and acquired the land with that in mind. The inn took about eight months to build. Johnís cousins Randy, Matt and Bill Loken constructed the facility.
The inn has a rustic look outside, and the inside is comfortably casual. Pictures of the old sawmill hang on the wall in the lobby, along with Johnís grandpaís canoe and his grandmotherís spinning wheel. Eileen said she was primarily responsible for the decorating, ěwith a lot of help.î Many of the furnishings were purchased from the Grand Hotel in Bloomington, which was torn down to clear the way for air traffic to a new runway at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.
There are six double queen rooms, and four king rooms with Jacuzzis. Two rooms are handicapped-accessible. All rooms are equipped with a cable TV, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, internet access and hair dryer.
In addition to its guest rooms, the inn also has four apartment suites with a separate bedroom and kitchen facilities. The inn provides linens, towels, soap and dishes. The Lokens added the suites thinking that hunters would use them, but it has turned out that families have been renting them as well. The inn has been booked with guests from weddings, reunions, and music festivals as well as hunters. John is considering turning a cabin on the property once owned by his uncle into another unit.
The Sawmill Inn will have about seven employees, including John and Eileen. John will continue to operate Lokenís Auto right across the highway, and Eileen will keep her job as a nurse at St. Maryís Hospital, Rochester. Other employees will be shared by the two businesses.
ěIíve got really good help,î said John.
Rates at the Sawmill Inn range from $69-$89 per night, with special rates available for weekdays and extended stays. Call 507-896-7050 or 1-800-791-9192 for reservations.
Lilac and Lace Guest House
A project seven years in the making has finally been completed with the opening of the Lilac and Lace guest house in Houston. The 1876 home at 218 Lincoln is owned by Karmen Kinstler, who purchased the home in 1985.
Karmen bought the home simply because she had grown tired of the small house she had been living in. She lived in the house and operated her day care out of it for a time, and then moved to a different house.
ěThe house had great bones,î said Karmen, and she knew that it would make a great guest house. With a lot of patience and perseverance, the first guests were welcomed last weekend.
Originally, Karmen envisioned the home as a bed and breakfast, but since because she has a four-year-old with serious medical problems and a lot of specialized equipment, she didnít feel she could live in the house, so it became a guest house instead. Visitors have use of the kitchen for any meals they care to make.
The house needed a host of updates, including new wiring to replace the old ěknob and tubeî wiring, and new plumbing. The hardwood floors were refinished to reveal a lovely pattern of dark and light woods in dining room and sitting room.
ěMost of the floors were awesome,î said Karmen.
There are five rooms plus an ownerís suite in the house. The rooms are named for their decor, and include the Rose Room, Wisteria Room, Magnolia Room and Lily Room. All have private baths, and two have whirlpool tubs. The upstairs has a sun room for the enjoyment of the guests.
Guests can also congregate in the sitting room or parlor, can prepare meals in the kitchen and can eat in the formal dining room or the eating area in the kitchen.
Karmen said her father, Dennis, was a tremendous help with the renovation of the home, constructing a suspended ceiling from wood panels and beams to hide new plumbing, refinishing woodwork, and constructing cupboards. Her brother Kalvin and mom, Bonnie, also lent their support to the project in many ways.
An open house held several weeks ago brought about 300 visitors to the house, a number that surprised Karmen. A lot of people shared stories of people they knew who lived in the house. From what Karmen has been able to learn, she believes the house was originally a boarding house. With a great location right across from the city park, the home is once again welcoming guests to Houston in its new life.
For more information on the Lilac and Lace, call 507-896-5710.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com