About the Owners of Lane Street Inn
Read about the history of Lane Street Inn here.
Lane Street Inn is owned by native-Tennesseans Emily and Eben Bryant. Emily was born in Clarksville, TN. She grew up in Clarksville as the daughter of a local developer who built many single-family homes in Clarksville. After high school, Emily moved to Hawaii and lived with her Marine Corps brother. Later she moved to Memphis, TN to be near her sister. Over the years, Emily has pursued interests in historic preservation having worked for Memphis Heritage, the City of Memphis' Planning Commission and the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Emily is also a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Eben Bryant was born in Memphis, TN. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and also earned an MBA from the University of Memphis. Eben developed a passion for real estate when he began managing small apartments for family investors. Later, he managed an Elvis Presley-themed hotel across the street from Graceland in Memphis, TN and subsequently fell in love with the hospitality business. Eben is an Associate Member of the Appraisal Institute and currently works as a Tennessee State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser specializing in the appraisal of hotels and resorts nationwide.
Eben met Emily soon after college. Later, they were married and purchased their first small home in Memphis - an 1,100 square foot bungalow built in 1905. The house only cost $32,000 but was in shambles. It had been divided into a duplex and severely neglected and abused over the years. Everything needed to be fixed or replaced - roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.. Eben and Emily took it upon themselves to bring the house to life and finally finished restoring the home about one year later - having also added a home-office, laundry and enclosed deck.
Restoring the small bungalow was exhausting and expensive but very rewarding. Emily and Eben went on to live there for many years until a job opportunity for Eben moved them to Atlanta for four years then to San Francisco for two years. Home ownership took a back seat to career advancement over that time as Eben worked as an appraiser for a large national firm.
In 2007, that same firm offered Eben a position in Nashville, TN. Seizing the chance to be near relatives, including their aging parents, Emily and Eben made the long cross-country haul from San Francisco, CA back home to Tennessee. It was also nice to leave behind $1,700/month rent for the tiny house in California.
Finding Lane Street Inn - During their house hunt, Emily and Eben came across 508 East Lane Street in Shelbyville, TN. The 6,500 square foot mansion appeared to be in terrible condition but had great character and included over 2.8 acres of land. At the price offered, the deal was irresistible. Emily and Eben acquired the property in August 2007 - the same month the credit markets began their downfall. In fact, the seller of the property was a bank that went bankrupt two days after Emily and Eben closed on the home. They almost didn't get it until a few frantic phone calls from their Realtor (Jodi Griffey - Emily's sister) made contact with someone at the defunct bank who was able to get the paperwork through.
Through Emily's passion for historic preservation and Eben's love for the hospitality industry, the idea of Lane Street Inn was born. The home, once operated as Maple Lawn Inn Bed & Breakfast, showed potential. It has six bedrooms with private baths upstairs and a huge reception area downstairs. Plenty of room for weddings, family reunions, corporate receptions and other special events.
The Restoration of Lane Street Inn - Phase One
Emily and Eben began the restoration process soon after they purchased the property in August 2007. As of April 2008, nearly $200,000 had been expended to bring this wonderful old mansion back to life. The most significant renovation (a new foundation) cannot even be seen. The old home was "sagging" and needed a completely re-engineered foundation that took months to complete. Other significant renovations completed in Phase I included: a completely new roof; rotted wood repairs; gutter replacement; complete exterior strip and re-paint; installation of a state-of-the art, zone-control HVAC system which provides individual controls in each guest room; new, updated and expanded electrical service; new main water supply line and pressure boosting pump as well as new plumbing and wiring systems inside and out.
Phase Two of Restoration
Renovation, reconstruction and upgrading of structural, mechanical and safety systems were the primary goals of Phase One. Phase Two focused on completion of additional new wiring and plumbing, security and safety systems, interior finish, design/decor and installation of furniture, fixtures, equipment, a new driveway, outdoor patio, deck and landscaping.
Ultimate Goals
In creating Lane Street Inn, Emily and Eben will strive to provide Shelbyville and the surrounding communities with a safe facility for group gatherings as well as overnight accommodations that are the most comfortable you may have ever experienced in a small Inn.
Lane Street Inn
It's all about family at Lane Street Inn.