Client Spotlight: Rock Properties + Timber Rock Lodge
One of the best parts of being in the insurance industry is the opportunity to watch people – our dear clients and friends – get their dreams off the ground.
Today, we’re so excited to share that the dream of some of our beloved clients has officially opened for business.
Meet Ralph and Michelle Trieschmann. This husband-and-wife duo have traveled the world and like so many of us, had their careers and lives change drastically because of the pandemic.
We chatted with them to learn about their journey from corporate life to breathing new life into an abandoned building to build the gorgeous, scenic Timber Rock Lodge in the mountains of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. Read more here!
Q. Tell us why you decided to change careers and what drew you to innkeeping/hospitality?
“COVID-19 created the change; it ended the last career and opened the door to some sort of new, to-be-determined career. We looked at relocating, and since Michelle’s parents are in Eastern Tennessee, we thought we ought to be close to them as they live out their golden years.
When it came to what to do, we looked at franchise opportunities, considered going back to corporate life, but none of that felt right to us.
Then, a friend of Michelle’s approached us about an abandoned log building that could be great for a wedding space.
We were skeptical at first (abandoned building and wedding space doesn’t exactly sound promising!).
But then, we looked at the space, and photos of how it looked back in its heyday, we thought: ‘We might be able to do this.’
The venue itself was formerly the sales and design headquarters of Jim Barna Log & Timber Homes – one of North America's largest log home manufacturers. So you can imagine how much work this former office space needed to be re-imagined as an inn and venue space.
In doing that walk-through, we realized how much work it needed, but both of us could see the potential and decided to do it. It took over a year of renovation work, but we had this distinct vision upon touring it and are so proud that our vision has become a reality.”
Q: Tell us what types of things there are to do in your area of the Cumberland Plateau!
“We are in a beautiful portion of the plateau, which is really the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau along the western edge of the Appalachian Mountains. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, among other states. Specifically, the town of Oneida in Scott County Tennessee is where we are located, which is about 10 miles from the Kentucky border and adjacent to The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (or Big South Fork).
For nature-lovers who aren’t wanting to deal with traffic and tourists that come to the Smoky Mountains, we’re in the perfect spot. We call it the ‘Baby Smokies.’
The park is managed by the National Park Service and features amazing views of gorges, camping, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, IMBA EPIC biking trails, waterfalls and so much more. And, across the Kentucky border, there’s the Daniel Boone National Forest.
For those wanting more city-like adventures, we’re close to Nashville, Knoxville, Lexington, and a great stopping point on the way to Asheville for anyone coming from the Midwest.
There are a number of historic spots to visit locally, too. Like visiting the site of an old timber and mining camp by scenic train or stopping by the county jail, for a tour and paranormal experience perhaps!”
Q: What do you hope to see at your venue?
“You name an event and we’ll be open to it! Right now, we’ve been booking weddings and receptions for the remainder of 2022, and we’re ready to host reunions, birthdays, bridal and baby showers, corporate conferences, retreats, shareholder meetings for local businesses and so forth.
There’s a nice circular flow to our space, so we can be flexible with both small and larger events, and guests can be both indoor and outdoors.
We also see the value in renting venue space out to individuals locally who are looking for short retreats. We’re also going to be offering a spa on-site, and are getting creative with how else we’re able to offer the venue up for the local population who don’t necessarily need an overnight stay. For instance, we’re considering doing monthly pop-up restaurant nights where we host a catered meal or guest chefs from a nearby city.
And, the real dream for summertime is to have live music events outdoors.”
Q. What is one challenge you didn’t expect as you worked on opening Timber Rock Lodge?
“One of the biggest challenges was that our contractors and subcontractors (whom we hired to do commercial grade work) had multiple jobs at the same time. They’re very busy, working constantly and the challenge with that is that sometimes, you get put into rotation and may have only seen the contractors for a few hours a week, with a gap of several weeks in between at times. And that affects the overall flow of the project timeline.”
Q: What are you most proud of in this new endeavor?
“We felt strongly about staying local when it came to hiring and for purchasing our supplies; we wanted to support our local economy with this project.
We’re proud of the contributions our local workers had in renovating this property. Everyone who has touched it wants to see its success. And we’re so thankful for these precious relationships we’ve built here, and proud of bringing more life to the area with this space.
And, we’re really proud of ourselves on this journey. For coming in and seeing the original state of the building, to having a beautiful vision for it, rolling up our sleeves, doing the hard work and now, seeing that our final product has come very, very close to that original shared vision. And, in spite of the many challenges we had in the process, we came out still loving one another in the end - so that is a big win!”
Q: When will Timber Rock Lodge officially open for business?
“Our first event was our grand opening on March 19, and we’ve been busy booking events for Fall 2022! Guests can now also book their reservations online.”
Q: What have you enjoyed most about working with Concannon Insurance Agency?
“When we first began this endeavor, we couldn’t find anyone with the expertise locally to help with our insurance needs because our needs were so widespread.
We needed coverage for massive renovations, how to insure an inn, coverage for event space, and so on. Thankfully, a friend who worked with Jim in the past recommended us to Concannon.
After talking with Jim, we discovered quickly that he had tentacles that could reach into any and all types of industries to find cost-effective coverage to get us up and running. As each part of the business opened, Jim advised on our precise coverage needs. He and his agents are helpful, patient and expedient. Hiring Concannon for this made insurance coverage one thing we didn’t have to worry about.”
Ready to book your next event or vacation now? Visit their website to learn more about Timber Rock Lodge and to reserve your stay!
