BELLE FOURCHE—After running their business, AmericInn, for the past 20 years, business partners, spouses and best friends are now joining together in the next stage of life as partners in retirement. A retirement party was held April 18 at the Branding Iron Steakhouse. After selling their hotel on March 31, the couple is ready to relax a little, spend more time with their family and travel.
Their journey into the hospitality world began 20 years ago when Greg showed up at home and told Stacey his new plans. “Greg came home and said, ‘We’re gonna open a hotel in Belle Fourche,’” explained Stacey. “We knew nothing about running a hotel other than treat people the way you want to be treated. And I went to school for two weeks, and Susan Jasperson was sent out here to open this up, and she took one look when she showed up and said, ‘You will never be ready.’ Greg said, ‘We have to be ready—the bank needs paid,’ so we opened May 12, 2006. The church ladies came and helped us scrub tubs and get everything ready.”
It took around two years to get everything for the motel in order, from the purchase of the franchise to finding backers and building. “We did everything from first shovel to completion,” explained Stacey. “He’s maintained it for 20 years, and we added on—we started with 42 rooms, and then in 2015 we added 19 rooms, plus a workout room with the elliptical, treadmill and bike in it.”
The hotel employed anywhere between 19 people in the winter and 26 in the summer, all from the local area. Many of the staff stayed on for years, with the new manager being employed at the AmericInn for 18 years, and several housekeeping staff being there for over seven years. “We work well together,” shared Stacey. “Everyone that works there takes pride in what they do and what they’re part of, and they ensure that everything is ready and looking the best that it can for our guests.”
Stacey ended up loving the hotel business. She said, “It was never about Greg and I but about everybody else.” She wants to make sure that those who have been coming to Belle Fourche for the past 20 years will still get to have the Biker Barbecue during the rally. “We’re still going to have a barbecue. We already talked to the new owner about that before he bought it. We always have two barbecues, Saturday and Wednesday. I told him that we will pay for it—we have a big banner that says Sturgis Family Reunion.” The new owner agreed.
As far as retiring, Greg said, “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, so I don’t know how I feel, but in theory, it sounds great! Everybody I talk to is like, well, you need to make sure you have something to do—you need to make sure! And I do, I have lots of stuff to do, so I’m not worried about that.”
He has a lot of plans for what he will do with all of his free time. “What we’re hoping to do is some traveling. We have 12 grandchildren out in Washington State, and then I’ve got some cars that I have been fixing up over the years. I like to continue and get them done. So, just hobby stuff,” said Greg.
Stacey will continue to be involved with volunteer work. She is active in the Center of the Nation Business Association (CONBA) and helps run many of the activities they do, like the Easter Egg Hunt, Pie at the Sale Barn, Halloween Parade and costume contest, and Christmas fireworks and more.
“I don’t mind helping out—if I’m available, I’ll help. That’s what we do. We’ve been involved in the community all throughout our time here, except for the first two or three years because I was having babies. But community is important,” said Stacey.
Greg says his wife does enough volunteer work that it could be considered a full-time job.
The retirees have six children and 14 grandchildren and are looking forward to spending time with them.
One of their first trips will be exploring Route 66, beginning in Chicago and following it to the end.
Read the full issue of the Belle Fourche Beacon by clicking here.
Miss your weekly paper