The Avon Inn is a pivotal business for the Avon community - our office tried for years to find the right buyer to take it on and the project was promoted by every person at every turn. 

When Jim and Jennifer came forward it was a dream come true. They have the two most important components to make this project a success: passion and skill. Without the passion to succeed this never would have gotten off the ground. Secondly, Jim and Jennifer brought a plethora and mix of skills necessary for success. They are truly a dream team. Jim worked at the Avon Inn in his teen years which meant he knew the property well: both the challenges and the potential. With his construction experience, he knew what he was getting into and how to tackle it. Jennifer added to their layers of expertise with a background in management to accomplish the business end. She has been able to do an amazing job with the organization and promote a very complicated business. 

Finally, no business is complete without the essential element of money. And this is where our office came into play. Livingston County Economic Development can often step in to make a project like this happen. We have many tools at our disposal to spur a project on or to fill the gap when a project just isn’t feasible any other way. We have access to tax exemption programs, tax credit programs, loan programs, and sometimes when the timing is just right, grant programs.

In the case of the Avon Inn, to be successful as an event center and inn, the business needed a major overhaul along with some design modifications to the interior space. Jim and Jennifer did an amazing job in restoring the Inn to its former grandeur and creating a space that can work efficiently into the future. They have kept all the key design features of the building while making it flexible enough for many different uses. They can host anything from a murder mystery dinner to a baby shower to a New Year’s Eve gala event. Or maybe just a date night out.

This project was not feasible without public assistance. This building and business have been saved for future generations to enjoy because of this assistance. It is a showcase for the community and will spur more development in the village for years to come. Although we sometimes look afar for development to come to use, sometimes, maybe even most times, the investors are right here in our backyard. They are people who are coming back to their roots and who want to invest in their community.