HIGHLAND – When you stay at a hotel, do you get the warm comfortable feeling of a home?
Didn’t think so.
When you choose to stay at The Tibbett’s House: Bed, Breakfast & Books in Highland, you are greeted with the smell of freshly baked cookies, and genuine hospitality from owners Brett and Mindy Casto. They even have their company mascots to greet you, too … their two dogs.
You have access to snacks, drinks and toiletries during your stay, as well as some time to connect with other guests. Then the following morning, you receive a delicious home-cooked breakfast prepared by Brett and Mindy. So relaxing!
The Tibbett’s House was built in 1914, and each room is themed after popular literature. You have the West Egg that is based on “The Great Gatsby,” The Loop from “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” and 221 B Baker Street based on Sherlock Holmes.
Other rooms in the house are designed for the guests to feel a certain eccentricity, but still be quite comfortable. The uniqueness of the Bed, Breakfast & Books is illustrated by the color choices, art on the walls, themed rooms and architecture. This allows guests to escape their daily reality for a cozy and imaginative stay. The owners thank their customers by giving them one book, free of charge from their bookstore.
The Castos take pride in their exclusive business experience at Bed, Breakfast & Books for various reasons. They offer a unique experience that is welcoming to all sorts of people and avid readers. As for the Bookstore, they promote reading during every visit, and encourage guests to take a free book upon departure. They also buy, sell and trade books in the community.
Mindy has been in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 20 years and has dreamed of owning a Bed & Breakfast for quite some time. Brett is a self-published author, who runs the bookstore operations and games. They both love interacting and building relationships with their guests. These two businesses work hand in hand, as visitors come together to share and create memories, almost like a book. Guests are captivated by how passionate and driven the Castos are with their businesses.
With the support of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Director Jo Ann Di Maggio May guided Mindy and Brett on the proper tools to assist them in executing their business plan, marketing strategies and other networking resources. “The Castos have worked diligently to make their dream of a B&B and Book Store come true,” says Di Maggio May. “Their creativity and passion shines through from the moment you walk through the doors. They are dedicated to offering a unique and fulfilling customer experience. I look forward to Mindy and Brett achieving much success, and the SBDC assisting them along the way.”
The Casto’s overall experience with the SBDC has been quite resourceful and positive. “Jo Ann was always so helpful with the information she provided,” Mindy says. “We were unsure how to go about the process of starting a business. We attended the Boots for Business at Scott Air Force Base and were able to move forward with our plan. Jo Ann was always there to support our ideas and push us to continue to grow with anything related to our business.”
The Tibbett’s House: Bed, Breakfast and Books is here to stay and welcomes all to take advantage of their special $20 December discount.
For more information, contact The Tibbett’s House: Bed & Breakfast & Books at 618-772-8161. It is located at 809 9th St. in Highland. Visit tibbettshouse.com or Facebook and follow on Twitter.
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists start-up ventures like The Tibbett’s House: Bed & Breakfast as well as existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and SIUE as a service to Illinois small businesses.
By aiding entrepreneurs and companies in defining their path to success, the SBDC network positively impacts the Metro East by strengthening the business community, creating and retaining new jobs and encouraging new investment. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses. When appropriate, the SBDC strives to affiliate its ties to the region to support the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large.
To learn about the SBDC, contact the IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE at (618) 650-2929.
