Who bought the Gunstock Inn

[Smokienorm]

There is a "sale pending: sign up at the old Gunstock Inn on Route 11A. Does anyone know who is buying it and what they plan to do with the property?

After the news reports many months ago to the effect that the bank was taking over the property, there were also some reports that someone planned to turn the place into some type of halfway house, which was not exactly a desirable use as far as the neighbors are concerned.

So . . . what gives now?

[baassoc]

Supposedly a guy that owns a few motels around the lakes Region is buying it.

[pjard]

Does anyone know who bought the Gunstock Inn and what the plans are?

[riverat]

All I know right now is I have a friend who handled the pool work for the past owners and was called in to inspect and test the pool for the new owners/bank. still pending. He thinks they are going to open without a lot of change to the past operations, no demolition and such.

[barefootbay]

Is it possible for anyone to make it work there as a resort ,motel, hotel business?

[mcdude]

From today's Laconia Daily Sun

Gunstock Inn purchased by local couple
GILFORD – The Gunstock Inn and Fitness Center has been purchased by Les and Linda Schuster, the current operators of three Weirs Beach area lodging facilities.
Les Schuster said yesterday that he and his wife have been working on the purchase for a little over a year – or shortly after the former owners shut the doors citing a poor economy.
"Now that the economy is better, we've been able to get it all in order," said Schuster.
He said he and his wife plan on opening the hotel or lodging portion of the Inn before Christmas and are working on some Ski-and-Stay packages with the Gunstock Mountain Resort. There are 25 rooms at Gunstock Inn, Schuster said. In addition to the hotel and fitness center, the building also houses a restaurant.
Schuster said he already has similar packages involving Gunstock and his other three lodging properties – the Lazy E Motor Inn, the Bear Tree Lodge, and the Lakeside Getaway.
"We have hired a staff of four senior level employees and a housekeeper," Schuster said, noting that they are local people. "This is the most tied to the community we've ever been."
He said the restaurant will be called Schuster's Tavern and he hopes it will be serving food by February. He said they would start with dinner and add from there.
As to the Olympic-sized saltwater swimming pool, Schuster said they need to get their permits but couldn't make any applications until they officially owned the property. "That's about all that's holding us back," he said.
He said he would be "open to any uses that were in place before it closed" - including the Gunstock Stingrays who used the Gunstock Inn as its home pool until it closed but said the primary purpose of the pool would be to support the inn and its guests. Schuster said there will also be gym memberships.
Schuster said in a media release that the Gunstock Inn was originally built as barracks for workers who came to Gilford to build the Gunstock Ski Area – one of the first projects of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "New Deal" era.
He said the Inn has a history of being family owned and operated and that his family plans on doing the same thing.
Schuster said he and Linda are working with the Service Credit Union to provide the funding needed to restore the Inn to "its former glory" and to meet the needs of today's travelers and guests.
At one point, the Inn was being considered as an alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility by the owners of the Phoenix House who ultimately decided on a Northfield site for their business.

[Resident 2B]

Good luck, Les and Linda Schuster, with this project! Wishing you success. We will visit when the tavern opens.

I really hope the community gets fully behind this. They are locals, hiring locals and investing locally. That is what we need!

R2B

[wickedtravelah]

Best of luck; I look foward to the Tavern!

[Slickcraft]

Driving by today we noticed a now open sign.

[RLW]

Ya, I went by yesterday morning and it had a opening soon sign. I guess from yesterday to today is SOON.

[Slickcraft]

A careful look at the sign today:

"Inn is Now Open
Restaurant and Fitness Soon"

Of course I often say "fitness soon" and on occasion almost get there.

[Slickcraft]

In yesterday's union leader:

Gunstock Inn opens again with new owners

By DAN SEUFERT
Union Leader Correspondent
GILFORD — The historic Gunstock Inn, which had been for sale as its previous owners had suffered from the bad economic times, has been purchased by a couple who own three other Lakes Region lodging businesses.

Les and Linda Shuster, owners of the Lazy E Motor Inn and the Lakeside Getaway, of Weirs Beach, and the Bear Tree Lodge of Meredith, reopened the inn on Dec. 9, having purchased it with the help of a local Realtor and Service Credit Union for $350,000, according to town officials.

The inn had been for sale for about a year before the Shusters bought it, Les Shuster said.

“We’ve been trying to buy it ever since we heard it was for sale,” he said.

The inn was originally built as housing for workers who built the Gunstock Ski Area, one of the first projects of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” era, Shuster said.

The new owners purchased it as a “distressed” property, but plan to make it a vital business in the area, he said.

“We’ve been looking to expand, and we bought it as a nostalgic country inn,” Shuster said. “We plan to make it a significant part of the local economy.”

The 25-room Gunstock Inn and Resort will feature new versions of its former operations, including the fitness center and spa, which have been renamed the G.I. Fitness Center and the Candlelight Salon and Spa. Candlelight will include a hair styling center and will be open to the public, not just to guests.

The Olympic-size swimming pool is available, as is the 125-seat restaurant. The tavern has had its name changed to Shuster’s Tavern.

In staffing the facility, the Shusters have more than doubled their payroll from that of the other three businesses. They have hired six senior-level managers, and are working on employing more people for the inn’s functions and its 74-seat conference room.

They also hope to attract people to the inn as a wedding destination, he said.

“It will be exactly what it has been and more,” Shuster said.

[mcdude]

The inn was originally built as housing for workers who built the Gunstock Ski Area, one of the first projects of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” era, Shuster said.

It was called "The Baraks" ....a misspelling of barracks?

[BroadHopper]

I was told that there was a ski slope in back of the Baraks with a short live rope tow.