THE BARN DOOR HOSTEL WAS LAUNCHED IN 2018. BUT LIKE ANY GOOD STORY, THERE IS MORE.
IN 2012, FOUNDER DAVE COOK WORKED AT A SUMMER CAMP AS A MANAGER, GROUP LEADER, CLIMBING INSTRUCTOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS ENRICHING, AND CURIOUS, DAVE WONDERED WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE ELSEWHERE THAN IN THE QUIET CONNECTICUT TOWN WHERE HE GREW UP. IN THE FALL OF THAT YEAR, DAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE EAST COAST AND GO WEST. USING HIS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. WHILE WAITING FOR ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS, HE FOUND HIMSELF OUT OF SAVINGS AND SPENT HIS FIRST NIGHT IN A HOSTEL. “WELCOME TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS HOUSE” WAS WRITTEN ON THE WALLS OF THE OLD VICTORIAN HOUSE. A spark was born in Dave’s heart, following this rich experience of sharing, friendship and community. HE GAVE UP HIS JOB OFFERS TO STAY AT THE INN. FIRST TIME, AS A CLIENT, $25 PER NIGHT, IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO IT WAS A GODSEND! THEN AS A VOLUNTEER, WHERE HE EXCHANGED HIS WORK/CULTURE FOR THE GITE AND THE FOOD. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, THE OWNERS OFFERED HIM A MANAGER POSITION. 9 MONTHS LATER, THIS NEW HOSTEL HAD BECOME FAMOUS AND WAS RANKED #1 ON SEVERAL ACCRETED TRAVEL SITES (HOSTELWORLD, YELP, TRIPADVISOR). THIS IS WHERE DAVE FOUND HIS PLACE AS HOST. HE LIKES TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, SHARE STORIES AND CULTURE WHILE LAUGHING OVER A GOOD BEER AND ROTIS CHAMALLOWS.
IN 2015, AFTER LEAVING THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD, DAVE FOUND HIMSELF WORKING AS A PROGRAM MANAGER IN A CLIMBING HALL. THIS IS WHERE HE CONTINUED TO LIVE HIS LOVE OF HOSPITALITY AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS. “THE GOAL OF CREATING MY OWN INN CAME TO ME AFTER SHARING A BEER WITH MY PARTNER FROM THE TIME THAT I MET AT THE SAN DIEGO INN.” HE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL, AND ALONG THE WAY, THE DREAM OF OWNING AND RUNNING A YOUTH HOSTEL GREW. “WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE GYM, DAY AFTER DAY, THE DREAM OF CREATING AN INN BECAME A DUTY.” IN 2016, HE LEFT THIS CLIMBING HALL, LOOKED FOR A SUITABLE PROPERTY, BEFORE TURNING TO RUMNEY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
DURING THIS TRIP, HE MET HIS BEST FRIEND DOM PASCARIOLLO. “IT WAS HIM WHO REALLY DIRECTED ME TO RUMNEY. AT FIRST I WAS LOOKING FOR SAN DIEGO, NEW ORLEANS, ANYWHERE, WHERE THE TIME AND CULTURE ARE FANTASTIC.” DOM AND DAVE LOOKED FOR A PROPERTY TOGETHER, ASKING FOR HELP AND ADVICE FROM DOM’S PARENTS. THEN DOM TOOK A JOB IN COLORADO - DAVE CONVINCED HIS PARENTS TO INVEST IN THE NOW FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS.
THE PROPERTY WAS COMPLETED IN 2018 AND IMMEDIATELY MET THE EXPECTATIONS OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO CAMP IN THE AREA. “THERE ARE A LOT OF CAMPSITES IN THE AREA, BUT NONE THAT ARE FAMILY FRIENDLY AND/OR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LARGE COMMUNITY OF CLIMBERS.” EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN THE COOK FAMILY ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF BARN DOOR HOSTEL. “THERE WAS A CLIMBING FESTIVAL HERE LAST SUMMER ORGANIZED BY THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK WHO SLEPT IN THEIR CARS, PEOPLE FROM QUEBEC CITY AND MONTREAL CAMPING IN THE GRAND CHAMP, ALL CAME TO CLIMB AND SMILE AROUND THE CAMP FIRE.”
THE HOTEL WAS A BARN WITH CHICKEN BREEDING IN 1800, according to neighbors, the building was built on 3 floors more than the ground floor. SINCE IT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO TWO FLOORS INCLUDING THE GROUND FLOOR, AFTER HAVING BEEN A CHICKEN COOP, WAS A MECHANICAL WORKSHOP. LIKE ANY WORKSHOP, THE OLD BARN WAS CLUTTERED WITH PARTS, TOOLS AND OTHER TRINKETS. FROM MAY 2018 TO SEPTEMBER 2018, THE SITE WAS COLOSSAL IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY EMPTY THE PREMISES. “WE HAVE PASSED TWO OR THREE CONTAINERS OF INSULATION, METAL, GLASS, ETC...” A few days after Dave’s 32nd birthday, the barn started its reconstruction. ROTTEN WOOD WAS REPLACED, EARTH MOVED, WALLS BUILT AND WINDOWS INSTALLED. INTERIOR WAS THOUGHT AND DESIGNED BY DAVE. TWO DORMS SAW THE DAY, ONE COMPOSED OF 8 BEDS AND THE SECOND OF 10 BEDS. TWO PRIVATE ROOMS ON GROUND FLOOR, ONE WITH A DOUBLE BED AND THE OTHER WITH A BUNK BED. UPSTAIRS THERE IS A PRIVATE ROOM FOR 4 PEOPLE. AND TO FINISH, THE STAFF QUARTERS WITH A LARGE ROOM TO SHARE, ADJOINING, A BATHROOM WITH TOILET. “FOR ME, THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS IN A HOSTEL, BEDDING AND COMMON SPACES. I ORDERED THE BEST MATTRESSES WE COULD FIND ON OUR BUDGET AND DESIGNED THE COMMON SPACE SO IT IS A HUGE LIVING ROOM WITH OPEN KITCHEN, COMFY SOFAS, EAT-STAND, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SEE AT HOME, YOU’LL FIND IT HERE.”
DOM LEFT HIS JOB IN COLORADO AND CAME TO RUMNEY. HE HELPED WITH THE BARN RENOVATION AS WELL AS CREATING MARKETING IDEAS. HE GUIDES CLIMBERS WITH HIS BOX “ELEVATION” AND IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE LOCAL BREWERY.
DAVE LIVES ON THE PROPERTY WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND JILL, AND PARENTS WHO HELP WITH MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT.
