The Outside Inn in Nevada City is up for sale

The Outside Inn in Nevada City is up for sale, Sierra Foothills Report has learned. The asking price is $2.695 million, according to the offering memorandum. The memorandum is here.

“Family owned and operated for over 22 years, the Outside Inn has a strong reputation in Nevada City as the top choice for lodging,” it reads. “The quirky character and charm, plus top notch customer service has provided a quality experience for guests for decades. The current owners are looking for someone to continue the tradition of being the place to stay in downtown Nevada City.”

I asked Erin and Dan Thiem, the ebullient and diligent owners, for some background. Erin — also a prolific blogger — sent this along, including a “Q and A”:

“The Next Chapter

“To our incredible community, guests, friends and neighbors: It is with mixed emotions that we share our decision with you to list the Outside Inn for sale. Although we’re certainly in no hurry to hand it over, with our children in middle and high school, the time is right for us to step back, find someone new to take over, and put our family first.

“As we approach 10 years of ownership, having taken the Outside Inn over from my mother in 2011, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. Not only did we continue our family business, we were able to elevate the guest experience by adding online reservations, investing in room and facility upgrades, and develop business partnerships with community stakeholders including the Nevada City Film Festival, The Center for the Arts, Bear Yuba Land Trust, KVMR and more.

“We have helped put Nevada City on the radar of travelers coming from near and far with our social media efforts, and we created travel destination resources through the InnSide Nevada City blog and Visit Nevada City Instagram — all while promoting local businesses and events for almost a decade! We’ve had a blast curating and executing local giveaways on the blog, and we creating a media-rich content library that has been turned into postcards and used to represent our community in local, regional and national print publications.

“We’ve built a steady and loyal customer base, and we are thankful to have hosted so many people over the years — many of whom make their annual or bi-annual visits to Nevada City and always appreciate the experience we offer.

“During the time we’ve owned and managed the Outside Inn, we also built the Inn Town Campground from the ground up — and in doing so, realized a long-held dream of ours. With our plans for the campground still in growth mode, we’re excited for our next chapter, and ready to put 100 percent of our time, energy and resources into making the Inn Town Campground everything we have envisioned it could be.

“We plan to continue our high level of involvement and engagement in our community, and we are grateful to serve as advocates and ambassadors for the area we call home. As it has for many others, this year has taught us that we’re resilient, strong, and supported by so many amazing people. We can’t wait to see what’s ahead!

—Erin & Dan Thiem”

Q and A:

Will guests be able to expect the same level of service when they visit? Yes. The sale of the motel is not imminent. Guests can expect the same welcoming, friendly service when they visit.

What happens to my existing reservation? Existing reservations will continue to be honored.

Should I book now if the hotel is for sale? The Outside Inn will continue to accept and honor reservations. At this time, we are just beginning to explore options to sell the property to someone who wishes to take it over and continue its successful operation.

Who will the Outside Inn be sold to? While we don’t know who may end up purchasing the Outside Inn, our intention is to find the right person — someone who recognizes its value in the community and wants to expand on the level of service that has been offered.

Are you selling because it’s failing? No. The Outside Inn continues to be a successful business. We’re in no hurry to hand it over, but with our children in middle and high school, the time is right for us to step back, find someone new to take over, and put our family —and our passion project, the Inn Town Campground — first.

(Photo: Outside Inn’s offering memorandum)