Mno-Bmadsen and Chi Ishobak have teamed up to support Pokagon and other Native American owned small businesses in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. To encourage the Pokagon community to “Buy Native, Support Local,” a different Native American owned small business will be featured in this newsletter every month. This month we are happy to introduce you to Wildwood Cottage Airbnb!
Christine Daugherty opened the Wildwood Cottage in July 2021. Facing retirement, she realized she wanted to open a business for additional income. The cottage was where Chris raised her children. It was falling in disrepair, but she didn’t want to sell it or demolish it. Her children encouraged her to renovate it and turn it into a short-term rental property. Turning the property into an Airbnb gave Chris peace of mind, knowing she’s given the cabin the attention it needed.
Chris finds owning an Airbnb is interesting. There are so many new people Chris gets to interact with. She’s learned how to rent out to other people and has gotten the opportunity to decorate, layout rooms and buy appliances.
Years before Chris’s husband passed away, he owned a restaurant with a bar in Boston. Chris was familiar with owning a business before she tried out this new venture. Her siblings, children and their partners were all very supportive and encouraged this new opportunity. When she thinks about it, their encouragement, enthusiasm and support made her believe it could come together. Her family all brought something to the table in terms of the project. They helped with finding electricians based on their own construction experience, business ownership and experience from doing their own renovations.
Chris’s cottage is available year-round, with an outlook that summertime will be the busiest. She’s been told the cottage is cute and the beds are comfortable. Since its newly renovated, there is no knotty pine and there are modern appliances like a coffee bar and reliable internet. The setting is unique as it feels private but is conveniently located to other points of interest such as beaches, restaurants, and wineries. Her Airbnb can be found at: https://airbnb.com/h/thewildwoodcottage