BIZZ BUZZ By Alaina Loughridge - Photos by Wen McNally
This is more of a love story than an article about a business. Depending
on which one of the Kelly’s you talk to, the beginning of this grand
scheme started with ‘the building calls my name’ to ‘all I hear is a big
sucking sound.’ Both statements turned out to be true, but the end result
was well worth the tears and broken bones shed and earned along the
way. The Kelly’s turned a money pit into a glorious establishment that
continues to grow and welcome both locals and tourists alike.
Frank and Karen met almost 40 years ago in Morganton, NC. They
dated on and off for a minute until their lives went in separate directions,
not to rekindle until many years later in 2006. Having always kept in
touch, Frank had moved to Tybee by then and Karen felt it was time to
move there too. Karen obtained her realtor license in Georgia and set up
her shingle on Tybee. At that time, The Hunter House (as it was known
then) was listed ‘for sale’ and Karen could not stop thinking about it. It
was going to take a lot of work to completely gut it and start over. Frank
closed his eyes and breathed deeply…
Now, 12 years later, the Beachview Bed & Breakfast is a beautiful
landmark building, boasting nine spacious rooms with top of the line
amenities. Most of the rooms have their own private entrance and include
morning kitchens. No expense has been spared to individual details from
the linens to the crown molding. The building really is exquisite. There
is also a private “Love Shack” around the corner. Couples oriented, the
“Love Shack” is ideal for newlyweds and other couples looking for their
complete and total privacy.
The Kelly’s decided to keep going. They built the Pavillion in 2015,
which is a fabulous showcase area for any type of group event, especially
weddings. Again, the attention to detail is spot on and it is the perfect
location to chill out with your family or your significant other. Even more
so now that the Kelly’s have introduced their latest idea, Java & Juice. It
started out as a coffee bar and has grown rapidly in just the three months
it has been open.
As a guest, you are treated to nothing but the best: The finest coffee
is offered and includes everything from espresso to house specialties
– both iced and hot. The daily breakfast is not continental! The day I
stopped by for a visit, the guests were dining on a home-made quiche,
apple or blueberry French Toast, a wonderful pot pie creation that
included hash browns, ham, eggs and cheese (The Nest) and Canadian
Bacon, Swiss Cheese, eggs and parsley (Swiss Eggs). That is not all. This
breakfast also offers a variety of fruit, cereal, muffins, toast and more. It
was kind of overwhelming trying to figure out what I wanted. The guests
dine free, but the breakfast is open to the public and the prices are super
reasonable. There is also a cooler full of different juices and pretty much
anything you could want.
Did I mention they also have a bar? Yep! Frank says ‘if you want to
drink all day, you have to start in the morning.’ It makes sense to me and
being a mere block away from the beach, with beach chairs and bicycles
at your personal disposal, why wouldn’t you grab a cocktail for the road.
Or just grab a cocktail and a book so you can sit on the covered porch
and enjoy watching the world go by.
The Kelly’s say there is more to come. I see perfection right now.
Beautiful rooms with personal amenities, a bar within reaching distance,
gourmet food (gluten free options available), and a fun and relaxing
atmosphere. I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for
Beachview and Java & Juice.
Located on the corner of 17th and Butler, the coffee bar is open
7:30am to 1:30ish pm. For reservations and additional information about
weddings and whatnot, call (912) 786-5500. If you truly want the ideal
Tybee vacation getaway, Beachview is the answer and you will continue
to return in the future to make excellent memories.
Beachview Bed & Breakfast
Beachview Java & Juice
20 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | SEPT 2018