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Thursday, May 17, 2012
Regional Focus: February 2006
Hometown Hospitality
The catalyst for Lodi’s ascent? A bed-and-breakfast.
Story by Patricia Kutza
While Stockton is banking on its maritime tradition, Lodi is promoting its agricultural heritage. Its fruit, nuts and grapes have long been desired nationally and internationally. Developer Russ Munson thinks Lodi’s future hinges on how well it can leverage these agricultural roots.
A Lodi native, Munson started developing San Joaquin real estate in the mid-’80s. During that period he also opened a 10-room bed-and-breakfast, Wine & Roses, on 10 acres in Lodi.
When the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission needed more space to accommodate the marketing needs of Lodi’s growing wine region, Munson and his partners built new digs for them on the bed-and-breakfast’s periphery.
Neighbors complaining about noise from outdoor events held on Wine & Roses property triggered the next stage of its expansion. “In 1999 we built a ballroom so that we could avoid being a nuisance to our neighbors,” Munson explains. A restaurant was also added to the property. In late 2005 Wine & Roses’ hotel capacity grew to 48 rooms.
The next enhancement is designed to place Wine & Roses on the wish list of the most discerning traveler. A full-service spa with state-of-the-art equipment, knowledgeable staff and luxuriously appointed facilities is scheduled to be completed in early February 2006.
“People visiting Lodi need a really nice place to stay. If they come for a wedding, that’s an event that lasts, at most, four to five hours,” says Munson. “Wine & Roses extends that event by making our property — with all its amenities — a true destination.”
Munson recognizes that raising Lodi’s profile can’t depend solely on Wine & Roses’ success. A group of investors that includes Munson bought the downtown-based Rosewood restaurant to help develop Lodi’s downtown area.
“We don’t have any really large companies driving the growth of this city,” says Munson. “The best thing we can do is support what we already have: a vibrant wine industry, strong political structure, nice lakes and a great agricultural tradition.”
Lodi’s recently appointed city manager, Blair King, echoes Munson’s perspective. “Lodi needs the wine grape industry, and I think the wine grape industry needs Lodi. Our city is an oasis amidst monotony and blandness that is characteristic of other places in the region. The wine industry allows Lodi to cultivate its uniqueness.
“I want Lodi to be the kind of place that people take out-of-town guests to for a special and unique experience,” says King. “In order to accomplish this goal, we need a financially sound city; a downtown that is perceived as the heart and soul of the community; a well-maintained, high-quality housing stock; and a strong community identity.”
King acknowledges that Lodi needs to beef up its infrastructure to support this vision.
“We need to provide more overnight accommodations and services for visitors. I’d like to see those services concentrated downtown.” King says that some of the concepts being considered include a downtown hotel as well as wine-tasting rooms.
The Information Age has educated people, he adds. Increasingly they want to live someplace special. “People want to find someplace they can call home. Lodi is the quintessential hometown and all that implies: safety, identity, belonging, family and familiarity.”
