New inn owner has a passion for his work

Tom Quick Inn and Milford are the right places at the right time, By Anya Tikka MILFORD — “I have passion for what I do for my business. I really enjoy doing what I do here, “said Reza Ghassemi standing in the Tom Quick Inn in the heart of Milford. Ghassemi bought the Inn last February, and is doing extensive renovations, though preserving the historical character of the place as much as possible. He plans to reopen the inn in late June or early July. Ghassemi has always had a love for small historic hotels. Although he had never been to Milford, he says it was the right place, right time, under right circumstances when a friend introduced him to it. A businessman first, Ghassemi looked at the hotel as an investment, going through a series of due diligence and feasibility studies. Despite the economy, he found the market attractive, adding that Milford has a lot of character, is rich in history, and the project has a lot of local and regional support behind it. “There’s a segment of population that’s not affected by economy and if you position yourself accordingly, if you don’t take a risk during these times, in 5 years you can’t buy. In other words, no risk, no rewards, now’s the time to buy,” he said. He and his two silent partners, Bill Chiles, Chairman and CEO of Hickory Travel Systems, one of the largest travel consortiums in the world, and Joe Broesler, Executive Vice President of global airline sales for Hickory Travel Systems joined forces and put up the money. Ghassemi supervises the renovations, making sure his vision is being followed. His partners are going to promote Milford first as a destination, and Tom Quick Inn next, as part of a strategic plan. Dating from 1880, Tom Quick Inn is the second oldest hotel in Milford. Ghassemi pointed to the walls in the oldest part of the Inn, which actually used to be a freestanding bar. Among the many carvings on the wood panel walls is “Woodrow Wilson, 1887”. Could he have had a drink there? The bar is going to be preserved along with its carvings as part of the banqueting hall. Ghassemi aims for his hotel and restaurants to be relaxed, mid-priced place for the regular person. It is going to have 15 rooms and 2 suites for longer stays, says Ghassemi. “I anticipate attorneys from Philadelphia staying here when they come to the Court, which is located across the street.” Other expected visitors include business travelers, New York City, neighboring New Jersey, and Pennsylvania residents for short breaks, in keeping with the trend to travel closer in a bad economy. Every room in the Inn is going to be decorated in a different color and style. Ghassemi’s partner’s wife Linda Broesler, is an interior decorator supervising the renovation project, while preserving the old Inn as much as possible. To cater for the locals, as well as the many second home owners in Milford, the Inn will have three restaurants. The large main dining room will serve fusion cuisine, there will be a separate Sushi bar, and the downstairs sports bar will turn into a New York City style nightclub after 9 p.m. According to Ghassemi, every age group interviewed in the feasibility studies said there was a lack of nightlife in the area. In addition, when finished, the old banqueting hall will become the largest place for functions within 40 to 50 miles, according to Ghassemi. “I can close my eyes and see this place full of people… enjoying quality of food, service, not too stuffy, moderately priced, same people coming back over and over. Twenty years from now people saying, I remember when I was little I used to come to Tom Quick Inn to listen to music, I see many people renewing their wedding wows here, getting married, ” said Ghassemi. He envisions the Inn to be a family oriented center for the community. Community and continuity are of much concern to Ghassemi. He sees the hotel staying in his family for a long time, although he’s not planning to move to Milford full time. Quoting a Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children,” Ghassemi explained, “I bought this building but there’s an invaluable attribute attached to it. My children deserve to enjoy the place and its history as much as my ancestors and I did.” According to his studies, there’s not much to do for children in Milford, so he’s going to hire musicians to play children’s music for ages 3 to 7, of Nickelodeon and Disney channel type, outside the hotel every Sunday from 5 to 7, during the summer months. “I want to see smiles on children’s faces. We need to do more. Those children are the future of this community,” he added. Milford Borough is treating him excellently, according to Ghassemi. “I respect the strict rules, because if they did not have them, there would be no history. Investors and developers would tear (buildings) down, and future generations would not have the experience. They have sets of rules to maintain integrity.” Ghassemi says he has hired as many local people as possible to work in the Inn. Due to reopen at the end of June, it’s going to be the second largest employer in Milford, employing 50 to 75 people full or part-time. “I’ve hired a local management team, and they’re going to do their own hiring,” said Ghassemi. The hotel is also going to be the 10th largest employer in Pike County. Ghassemi’s career started as a dishwasher in the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, 30 years ago. He had come from Iran. “A combination of hard work, education, and sheer luck led me to being CEO of two major hotel chains. And for the last 7 years, I’ve been my own boss. I started a consulting business providing plans for individual and institutional investors’ strategic hotel development plans. I strictly manage hotels,” Ghassemi said. Ghassemi is concerned about how he could contribute to the wellbeing of others, should he be gone tomorrow. “Every day I teach something new to people I work with,” he says. “This is not just a job. I believe every day is a day to do some succession planning. I owe my success to that philosophy. Then you become more than just a paycheck. When you work with Reza, every day is a school day for you. Every day I will add to your knowledge base, to shift the paradigms, to make a contribution to the overall product.” “I’m in it to make money but life is not all about making money. What did I leave behind when I die, what did I accomplish apart from making money?” he questions. Leaving a meaningful contribution to the community at large is important to Ghassemi.