ASHLAND — Two Ashland women are proving hard work and determination can pay off — even during a pandemic.
Keelie Wurster and Megan Gallaway recently finished renovating a second-story apartment, located off South Street in Downtown Ashland. They intend to list the space as an AirBnb, appropriately called The Little Red Hen Inn.
Wurster and her husband, Dave, bought the property beside Hair Connection in early 2020 with intentions to open an arcade on the first floor.
“We were thinking pinball, ski ball, shuffle board on the first floor downstairs, but COVID came along and put a big stop to what we were thinking for the building,” Keelie Wurster said.
She and her husband may later renovate the first floor, but because of the pandemic, they didn’t look to immediately create a gathering space. Keelie instead shifted her focus towards the second floor, which featured apartments.
“They were very plain, very white walls,” she said. “I thought we could create a place with a cozy, fun vibe. It just made sense.”
Wurster, who owns the Tin Can Chandelier, enjoys staying in “quirky” AirBnbs and has long considered creating one of her own. She invited her employee, Gallaway to join her in renovating the apartments.
The two women had help from Wurster’s husband and a friend, but they largely redesigned the space themselves.
“There’s this sort of independence behind it,” Gallaway said. “There’s a sense of being able to design things ourselves, hang up a shelf without someone else coming in.”
Wurster’s husband often calls her a “little red hen,” a reference to the children’s story that teaches the value of hard work. Copies of the book are placed throughout the apartment for guests to enjoy, and other decor relates to the theme.
“The design is both of us. Almost everything in here is refinished or refurbished,” Wurster said.
A small closet in one room was transformed into a unique nook. A painting found in a friend’s basement was hung on one wall. Two lights were made out of items found at two local stores and combined to make something new.
“We would come up with some crazy ideas, and just go with it,” Gallaway said.
The two women were the first to enjoy the new space with their own friends and family.
“It felt like a vacation,” Wurster said.
But their work isn’t done yet. The duo are now renovating another upstairs apartment into a two-bedroom AirBnb. This one will be called the Turtle Inn. It will feature a green and yellow color scheme.
“We just want to be brave enough to try something different,” Wurster said.
The Little Red Hen Inn will be added to AirBnb in next month or so. The Turtle Inn will likely be complete by early May.
“I think they will be good for guests who want to go out and explore, but if you want to just stay in, it’s cozy to order in, get a pizza and play games with your family,” Gallaway said.
