A rainy morning cleared up just in time for the new owners of the Dream Inn to hold a grand opening ceremony on Friday.
Melanie Countee and her husband, Julian Swittenberg, bought the inn last April. The house was formerly the Forever Inn, owned by Dave Smith and Merrie Datin.
Countee and Swittenberg moved from the Washington, D.C. area to open their business.
Countee thanked God, family and community members for contributing to their success.
“Our journey took over five years to find the perfect spot,” she said. “We’ve had such a welcome from the community that we know we’ve found it.”
Countee said the couple searched for just the right location, agreeing on the Piedmont area since they knew they didn’t want to go to the mountains or the beach.
Before they moved from the Washington area, Countee was an office manager for a real estate agent and Swittenberg was a certified computer network security employee, Swittenberg said.
“We both enjoy cooking and people, and I guess we wanted a small town where we could give back to the community,” Countee said.
The couple bought the house last April, and met their goal of opening the inn in just under a year.
Countee’s mother drove an hour and a half from Thomasville to attend the grand opening ceremony. Other family members also made it to the event.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Anson County Chamber of Commerce.
“We welcome our new business and hope they will continue to be prosperous,” James David Lee, Wadesboro mayor pro-tem, said just before the ribbon-cutting. “If ever the town of Wadesboro can help, let us know.”
The inn was built in 1910, according to its website. It features three guest bedrooms — the Uwharrie Room, the Anson Room and the Yadkin Room — as well as a large staircase, a wrap-around porch and more. Downstairs, a digital frame perched on a desk cycles through examples of Swittenberg’s photography, a hobby of his, largely featuring nearby areas including the Town Creek Indian Mound in Mount Gilead.
The inn is located at 214 S. Greene St., Wadesboro.
To learn more about the Dream Inn or to make reservations, call 704-994-3506 or email info@ncdreaminn.com. Information is also available at the inn’s website, www.ncdreaminn.com.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
