While its history doesn't quite go back 150 years, Best Western Tree City Inn is still a well-established business in Warren County and, like First National, it is also undergoing some changes to better serve its customers and the community. Namely, in addition to completely renovating the hotel, a new cocktail lounge as well as a coffee shop is on the way.
For Keval Sheth, the hotel has been a major part of his life since he was 12 and, more than just a business, it is something he has grown up with. It is a place which holds a warm place in his heart and, as he has assumed control of it, those fond memories have motivated him to attempt to not only maintain the hotel but to grow it into what he always wanted it to be.
"My family purchased the hotel back in 1998 when it was the Holiday Inn Express and then converted it to a Best Western in 2003 while helping coin the term Tree City. That’s also the year we added the much-loved indoor heated pool. I’ve had a lot of fond memories here from middle school dances, graduation parties and even a traditional Indian engagement ceremony with my now-wife, Sheena," Keval told me.
Having grown up in an entrepreneurial family, Keval didn't take long to start projects of his own, but the hotel always held a special place for him, so it's no surprise his focus returned there.
"After I completed the renovation of Don’s Supply and opened up Tree City Wine and Spirits in 2017, my mind began racing on what the next thing for me would be. My parents have worked their entire life to give my sister and me the American Dream so it was my turn to take over the hotel so that they could finally retire and enjoy the life they built. But I knew that there was so much more potential at the hotel. I just couldn’t figure out what it was," Keval said.
After some discussion with the City of McMinnville to turn the Blue Building into a boutique hotel proved impractical, Keval turned his attention back to his own property. "A few weeks later I sat and thought, 'Wait, why can’t I turn my current property into something built for McMinnville?' That’s where it all started. We started the plans of the project in 2018 and were about to begin the renovations in 2020, until COVID halted those efforts. Fortunately we picked back up in late 2022," Keval said.
The first phase was a full renovation of the guest rooms to give them a distinctly McMinnville feel. The rooms each feature one of four themes which bring visitors from around the world to our little corner of it. There are rooms devoted to Rock Island, kayaking, Cumberland Caverns and Yoga.
In the second phase, which Keval is currently in, the public areas are being transformed. The old meeting room is becoming a cocktail lounge called The Well at Tree City. The current lobby will become a coffee shop, The Cafe at Tree City.
"I decided to bring these two new amenities after hearing the pain points our guests have about McMinnville. There were very few establishments we could point them to if they were looking for a high-end cocktail or a coffee early in the morning or after work," Keval said.
Overall, the hotel will be re-branded as The Inn at Tree City, a Best Western Signature Collection. Keval is hoping for a soft opening this spring with a grand opening planned for early summer. The hotel is located at 809 Sparta St. and can be reached at (931) 473-2159.
