The Gathering Place welcomes campus visitors

One full-time staff member and several students manage the bed and breakfast.

By Angela Case

Published Oct. 6, 2008

A Columbia guest favorite has re-opened with the help of MU students.

The Gathering Place Bed and Breakfast, located at 606 South College Ave., opened for business on Aug. 25, said James Hundle, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Assistant Dean.

The inn, which is now owned by the MU College of Agriculture Foundation, opened because Hundle saw a need for campus visitors.

"The inn is an ideal place for speakers, scholars and interview candidates for university as well as corporate jobs to stay," he said.

He believes the intimate setting of the inn makes guests feel more welcome than a typical hotel would.

"We can meet with candidates at breakfast," he said. "It's a nice way of welcoming candidates and spouses to the campus and the community."

In addition to providing guests to the university with a comfortable place to stay, the inn serves as a training ground for students enrolled in CAFNR. The Gathering Place employs only one full-time staff member, innkeeper Deborah Strid. Two interns and four groups of senior capstone students run the rest of the operation. Each group of students focuses on a different aspect of running the inn.

"The inn gives the students actual hands on experience with everything from upkeep and cleaning to food preparation and reservations," Strid said.

Hundle said the hands-on approach benefits students more than traditional textbook learning can.

"Students can look at various parts of the operation in more detail than a corporate hotel," Hundle said.

Students find they have a better understanding of the service industry after having interned at the inn.

"I have learned the ins and outs of a B & B," said Sarah Connell, a senior and intern at the inn. "There's a lot of things I didn't know. The capstone classes get to see every different facet of the industry. It's a great way to get some experience."

The building's resurrection as a bed and breakfast is another step in its very storied history. According to The Gathering Place's Web site, the three-story building was built in 1906 as the private residence of Hugh and Cora Davenport, who owned the home until 1918.

During the next several decades, the residence was home to four fraternities and a sorority. In the 1960s the house was purchased by Edith Beary and divided into eight apartments, which remained until 1994, when the Duff family purchased he house. Because the family enjoyed having guests over, they named the home The Gathering Place.

In 1995, the house was completely renovated and restored to its 1936 appearance. To compliment the building's historical nature, most of the furniture in the bed and breakfast is antique. Strid said some of the pieces were original to the house, while some were donated by the Cornett family. All of the antique pieces are functional and used by guests.

The inn consists of a total of five suites, including one handicapped-accessible room on the first floor. Each room has a private bath, and three include jetted tubs. Each room is also equipped with a separate thermostat for the comfort of guests. According to the Web site, each of the guest rooms is named after a different course offered at MU, because the Duff family had a total of seven degrees from the university.

In addition to the five suites, the inn has a first-floor gathering area where breakfast is served and snacks are available. Every breakfast is home-cooked and unique, and the meat served is purchased fresh from the Mizzou Meat Market, Strid said.

The inn is known for characteristics besides its distinctive history.

"What makes this property unique is the exceptional level of hospitality," Strid said. "We want guests to enjoy being here."