Latest expansion includes banquet and meeting facilities
Staff Writer
The latest expansion at Ivey’s Motor Lodge is nearly ready for the upcoming tourist season. Owner, Rick Kelley doesn’t let much grass grow under his feet. He is a visionary, much like his predecessor Henry Ivey. Purchasing the 24-room motor lodge in 2002, he worked with Ivey for a month learning from a master of business.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
ENTER HERE — Conveniently located just off Interstate 95 on Route 1, Ivey’s Motor Lodge is near shopping, restaurants, service stations and more. Owner Rick Kelley has just expanded the motel complex to include more guest rooms, banquet and meeting facilities.
Ivey built the first Ivey’s Motel in the 1950s on the Bangor Road. It was a modern facility for that time and he later added a restaurant. During the construction of I-95 to Houlton, Ivey purchased property on North Street and built the second motel in 1985. He sold the Bangor Road property that is now the Scottish Inn in 1989 to devote his time to the newer facility.
In early 2000, Kelley, a New Hampshire native and a landscape architect began looking for a new kind of business. He was working with a real estate broker from southern Maine, but nothing seemed to fit the bill. One day he received a call from the broker telling him about a property that met the wish list of Kelley, however, it was ‘way up north.’
Fortunately that did not deter Kelley. He said, “I’ll take a look.”
Kelley and his dad made the trip to Houlton and were impressed with what they saw.
Kelley laughingly recalled, “We drove five hours to spend two looking at the property and talking with Henry.”
Without much discussion he and his dad knew this was the business to buy. Kelley made an offer and Ivey accepted. At closing a few months later, Kelley and his broker met with Ivey at the attorney’s office and the deal almost fell through.
Kelley, not yet 40, was alone. Ivey had assumed he was selling the business to the more mature Kelley. With some reservations by Ivey, but with advice from his attorney, Ivey signed over the property and the rest is history.
Kelley said, “Henry had great business sense and I am continually reminded of that every time I have enlarged the facility.”
In 2005 when Kelley began his first phase of construction for a 14-room addition on the west side he discovered Ivey had already pre-planned a future expansion by putting the water and electrical sources in place to make an easy transition into the new wing. Kelley found that again during his most recent expansion on the east end and he himself is doing the same for any future development.
As I toured the motel, Kelley showed me rooms from the original motel to the area with just the first coat of paint. It would be difficult for anyone checking into the motel to know which rooms were 24-years-old and which were the new ones. The rooms are spacious allowing for two queen beds and easy chairs for the guests to watch their favorite show or DVD on a large screen TV.
Having traveled throughout the United States and Europe I have seen many hotel rooms, some not so good. Amenities many travelers look for are number one, cleanliness, an additional sink outside the bathroom, blow dryers, bright lights over the mirror, an iron and ironing board, lots of counter-space in the bathroom and a quiet fan.
Kelley provides all this and more. The rooms are tastefully decorated with colorful bedding, silk plants and an added flourish one only finds in the top-of-the-line hotels; towels that are folded in a special way to hold the shampoo and soap. The rooms also have their own refrigerators, microwaves and coffee makers.
To accommodate clients that need a larger room for a long-term stay, Kelley offers a suite designed with a kitchen area, smooth-style stove top and an apartment-size stainless-steel refrigerator.
He also has special rooms built with the handicapped traveler in mind, not only those guests that are wheelchair bound, but hearing impaired as well.
Kelley provides the personal touch and pays attention to the guest, listening to their suggestions. It is obvious Kelley is a perfectionist paying attention to the most-minute detail.
The old saying goes, “if the owner is in the store, the better the business.” Kelley proves that.
He also offers the new modern front-loading washers and dryers in the guest laundry. Providing a continental breakfast is also a drawing card to the weary traveler. Although Kelley says, some guests forget they are not in their own home and show up at breakfast inappropriately dressed for mixed company.
Included in the latest construction is a 60-foot by 24-foot banquet room that will accommodate approximately 150 people. It is designed with vaulted ceilings and windows to the south allowing for lots of light. Again Kelley plans for the future, if the room is not cost effective he can easily turn it into four large suites. In addition to the banquet room are more than a dozen additional guest rooms.
Kelley is always planning ahead and he is not done improving Ivey’s. In the near future, he will relocate the O’Kelley’s Lounge to the rear of the building in order to dedicate the current lounge area to the continental breakfast site. He will also be building a front portico to enable travelers to unload and load their luggage undercover, avoiding the rain and snow.
Front desk employee, Linda Drake came with the business. She had worked for Ivey for 16 years and has been with Kelley for seven. She has worked as bartender in the lounge, head of housekeeping and now as desk clerk. She enjoys meeting the guests and reconnecting with former Houlton residents who may be visiting in the area. She says it’s sometimes hectic when they have a lot of reservations, but for the most part guests are respectful. While on duty, she monitors the motel’s security cameras. They are installed in every part of the motel and outside, too. This is added comfort for guests.
During the peak season, Kelley employs more than a dozen workers. He offers convenient shifts for mothers who want to work while their children are in school and he is open to make adjustments as necessary.
Kelley said that each season brings a variety of travelers. He offers a large yard for the snowmobile enthusiasts, the sled trails are nearby and the all-important gas station.
While interviewing Kelley, he was called away and I had the opportunity to speak with some guests in the breakfast room.
Christine and Tom Hickey were in Houlton visiting from Seattle, Wash. The Hickeys come to Houlton three to four times a year to visit Christine’s mother, a former Limestone resident and now living at a local nursing home. They had high praise for Ivey’s accommodations and are repeat guests.
Tom said, “The rooms are very comfortable and larger than most. It’s a fair price and we especially like the convenience of the continental breakfast.”
If you have company coming to Houlton and they need a place to stay, stop by and introduce yourself, Kelley would be happy to give you a tour of ‘his home away from home.’
I am sure Henry Ivey would be very happy to know that his pride and joy is being so well cared for.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
HAPPY GUESTS — Christine and Tom Hickey from Seattle, Wash. are repeat customers at Ivey’s Motor Lodge.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
MODERN FACILITIES — Rick Kelley, owner of Ivey’s Motor Lodge provides his long-term guests with all the comforts of home. A modern kitchen includes a smooth-top stove and an apartment size stainless refrigerator, microwave and coffee-maker.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
A BUSY MAN — Rick Kelley, left, owner of Ivey’s Motor Lodge shows Steve Long of Houlton the new banquet area just being completed for the summer season.
