02/15/2022
"The End of an Era: Innkeepers Retire After Two Decades of Hospitality"
After nearly 25 years in operation, local business owners, Jerry and Eileen Jarc of The Five Bells Inn have sold the property, and will be retiring. The historic property on Sand Road (just south of the rock ledge) has been a bed and breakfast since 1994.
During their time as proprietors, the Jarcs welcomed more than 5000 guests from across the United States and around the world! Eileen noted, “One of the best parts of running the inn was making connections with guests and hearing their stories. We’ve met guests from Russia, South America, and several European countries.” The Five Bells wasn’t just an international destination, Eileen continued, “The Lake Erie Islands region is such a valuable resource in Ohio and we were happy to have helped guests from our home state enjoy the area as well!”
Eileen and Jerry worked hard preserve and honor the history of the property. They wanted to continue the 120-year tradition of hospitality that was established by the Bond family when the inn was known as the “Linden Lodge” (part of Rockledge). “We hope that this spirit of warmth, hospitality, and generosity will live on.” Said the Jarcs.
The Jarcs were proud to live and work in the region and enjoyed making connections with the small business community in Port Clinton, Catawba, Marblehead, and beyond. They were founding members of the Port Clinton Bed and Breakfast Association which helped local innkeepers share resources and grow their businesses. They were also regular participants in the Port Clinton and Marblehead Chambers of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau. “Our guests have been very complimentary about the area: the lake, parks, shops, restaurants.” Jerry explained. “We appreciate the warm welcome that we and our guests have received from the Port Clinton/Catawba community, thank you!”
While the couple are sad to say goodbye to the Inn, they are grateful for the experience. They concluded, “We thoroughly enjoyed sharing summers at the lake, the night sky, the migrating birds and the best sunsets on Catawba with our guests.”
