As travelers enter Nashville from the south at State Road 46, they can swing into Foxfire parking lot and enjoy some kettle corn from a food truck, with the lot and trailer owned by Jimmy and Andrew Tilton.
As of last month, the Tilton brothers are now the owners of a property at the north gateway of town as well.
Hidden Valley Inn had been on the market for more than a year, with a sale falling through at one point. Jimmy and Andrew were drawn in for that very reason.
“One of the reasons we bought it is because it was on the market so long,” Andrew said. The previous 14 owners had no hospitality experience, he said, an industry he and his brother have known for quite some time.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]“We grew up in the business,” Andrew said. Jimmy was 13 and Andrew was 10 when they started pulling weeds, housekeeping and manning the front desk at a hotel.
“And making breakfast in the morning,” Jimmy added.
They now own several plots of land in the county, some with the potential for to be turned into housing or retail.
Their focus now is “breathing new life into the building,” Andrew said. “(The inn) needed someone with vision to move it forward.”
The first thing they did was upgrade tube TVs in the 19 rooms to 4K HD screens.
“It was well maintained, “ Jimmy said of the inn, “but it’s a time capsule.”
They’re doing work in each of the rooms: “New flooring, really nice furniture, lush carpet, beautiful vinyl and bamboo laminate flooring,” Jimmy’s wife, Joy, listed as a few of the changes coming.
The individual, apartment-like parcels are 600 square feet and each have their own HVAC units.
“Each (room) has a separate individual unit,” Andrew said. This is an important factor for them, given that the COVID-19 pandemic has guests looking to isolate in less populated areas. “Guests like that they have no shared spaces.”
“There’s a lot of people getting cabin fever and venturing out into open spaces,” Andrew said. “Brown County is a safe haven from all that stuff.”
Despite updates and renovations happening in the building, six rooms on the first and second floors are fully open and operational.
They are planning on having four of the units turned into apartments for longer term rentals and potentially selling some of the second floor units as they go. Nothing is set in stone yet.
“There are so many options with this building,” Jimmy said.
In addition to cosmetic changes, the Tiltons plan on updating many of the day-to-day operations. Instead of serving breakfast at the inn, the Tiltons are going to encourage guests to visit local restaurants such as The Bird’s Nest, Heavenly Biscuit and more.
On supporting local industry, Andrew said, “There’s no reason not to do it.”
They also plan on developing packages with local businesses, where guests can make upgrades to their room by adding items such as flowers, locally made soaps and more. Joy said it’s giving the guests “a taste of Nashville.”
Until then, changes are being made at the inn so guests can experience all that Brown County has to offer.
“Come October, we’re gonna have a beautiful renovated space,” Joy said.
Help is wanted at Hidden Valley, too. They are in search of staff such as housekeeping, front desk, maintenance workers and an experienced manager.
Until they can find more help, it’s Andrew, Jimmy and Joy manning the phones and operations.
Jimmy reflected upon a mention of him in the Brown County Democrat on July 18, 1984, and said that he was “carrying on a family tradition” of entrepreneurship.
“A solemn-faced Jimmy, 4, stopped by the Democratic booth at the 4-H fair last week,” the story said. “He pulled out his billfold and informed auditor Bev Kelp he wanted to buy ‘that.’ When asked what ‘that’ was, he pointed to the merry-go-round, on which he had obviously just enjoyed a ride.”
This time around, Andrew said, “instead of rides, it’s rooms.”
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Where: 201 N. Van Buren St., Nashville
Information: 812-988-9000
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