S P R I N G 2 0 21 | B O O K I T
Makeover in Muskegon
Pidge Inn owners transform vacant building into a boutique-style hotel
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estled in Muskegon’s Harbour Towne neighborhood, between Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, The Pidge Inn combines beachy hues and marina views with special touches that celebrate the city’s history. Owner Donelle Johnson grew up in Muskegon and rescued the vacant and deteriorating 1990s-era Harbour Towne Yacht Club building, transforming it into a boutique hotel with nine guest rooms that opened in late 2019. The lodging options include king studios, lofts, and suites, with stocked kitchenettes and private patios or balconies overlooking Harbour Towne Marina. Furnishings feature king pillow-top mat92
tresses, 50-inch TVs, Keurig coffeemakers, and lake life décor. Large suites with full kitchens and living rooms can accommodate families or extended stays. The renovations honored the original footprint of the building, which was intended to be a restaurant and bar that never happened. The lobby’s tower ceiling, with windows, shines natural light over what used to be a dance floor and reception room. “The feel is meant to reflect the water, with nautical and industrial accents to represent Muskegon’s heritage,” Johnson says. “The blue walls blend in with the sky and water, the floors are grayish and look weathered to resemble old boat docks, and the lighting is a mixture of old nautical and
industrial-looking fixtures.” Glass tiles on the fireplaces, backsplashes, and shower niches feature an iridescent sheen. They were made by American Glass Mosaics from recycled automotive glass. “That tile is my favorite part. I think it looks cool, and the fact that it’s local is neat,” Johnson says. “We were able to hand-pick the colors we wanted to match our design.” Johnson also named each room — and furnished them accordingly — after a Muskegon landmark or famous figure. Buster’s Boathouse honors the famed silent film star Buster Keaton, whose family summered in nearby Bluffton in the early 1900s. The Pigeon Hill Loft and Passenger
PHOTO BY TOM BONNETTE PHOTOGRAPHY
By Marla R. Miller
MICHIGAN BLUE
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