The Hangar

06/26/2023

The Hangar received its first Airbnb review! 🎉

03/16/2023

🛫🛫The repurposed children’s airplane books from Thriftbooks.com are starting to roll in! So excited!! 🛬🛬

03/14/2023

🛫🛫I know I have posted it before. However, some have asked how I came up with the name “The Hangar” for this Airbnb when it is sitting in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Walland, TN. Actually, a friend of mine, Dusty, came up with that name because of the story behind the walls.

The building was built in 1986 by a man named Richard “Dick” Angel, who is still living and in his mid-late 90’s. Mr. Angel served in the army air corps, which was the military Air Force before we ever had an Air Force. My family has a long line of Air Force service members. Including my youngest son, who at the time of the purchase of this property was in the pro-pilot program at Middle Tennessee State University.

I was invited to the property by Vivian, Mr. Angels friend who is also his POA, to take a look to potentially sell it as Mr. Angel was now living in an Assisted Living Facility. When I drove up to the house, it was tucked back in the woods. It looked like an English cottage. It was so worn and tired. I got goose bumps which is never a good sign because that usually will cost me a lot of money! I was in the market to potentially buy another project to help me keep my mind off of some of my life “issues”. Vivian showed me the property and told me the story of Dick.

While in his retirement years, Dick sat in this building and built Model airplanes all day. Hundreds of them! The house was full of so much aviation memorabilia. A few weeks later, I asked Vivian if I could buy it and turn it into an Airbnb in honor of Mr. Angel, plus all of my family members and friends who served in the military. She did not hesitate to say yes. After first saying, “Are you sure you want to do that”? 😂 Without a doubt in my mind, I wanted to take it on. I needed the house to help me heal and the house needed me to heal it.

The building was Mr. Angel’s retirement hangar so that is how the name was born! (Thanks D!)

On the day of closing, Dick told me he built it like “Fort Knox” and as I am nearing the end of completing it, I can assure you, it truly is built just like Fort Knox! I have left a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on the floors of this building. While many challenges came my way, I didn’t give up on it. For that, I am proud. I hope one day my boys will appreciate my hard work. As they mature into great men, I hope they will look at this building and say “if mom can do that, I can do this”…. I know it is hard for them now, but in the blink of an eye, they’ll be my age and I hope they’ll appreciate me the way I now appreciate the hard work of my parents.

After closing, Vivian gave me Mr. Angels military uniform of which will be displayed at the Airbnb. Additionally, she left me some of his airplanes and books. Today, as I was going through the stuff I wanted to keep, I found Mr. Angels pilot log, Yes! He was/is a pilot.

I cried. 🛬🛬

02/27/2023

This post is a reminder of what “The Hangar” looked like when I took this challenge on. It’s getting SO CLOSE! I can’t wait to share it with you guys! Like my page to see the reveal coming in March (hopefully) 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

02/22/2023

It’s getting so close! Time to decorate! The P-51 Mustang was the plane that the previous owner said was his favorite airplane of all time. Naturally, I would have to find something to honor that! Here is some history on the P-51

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_P-51_Mustang

01/24/2023

It’s getting close to decorating time at The Hangar! Scored this island/bar today! I LOVE IT! ❤️✈️❤️

11/30/2022

And just like that, 6 hours later, the Hangar has beds!

11/18/2022

Sneak peek things are starting to get real all up in here! The Hangar will definitely be open by spring if not sooner! 🙌🏼✈️🙌🏼

10/05/2022

Work on The Hangar has been a little slow as I have been extremely busy this summer! We’re getting there! Should definitely be ready to welcome guests by Spring!

I have to take a moment to brag on my new electrician. He came in behind another electrician who started the work and then got way too busy for me (🙄 another story for another time). Boy was I lucky to find ARC Bright Solutions (owner Jeremy Jenkins)!!! He came in and took the bull by the horns! He saw my vision and came up with other visions I’ve never even thought of! But look at the propeller he put on Elissa mural today!! I am in ❤️!!! We have to do some paint touch up but things are really coming together! I can’t wait to show it to you guys! This is the third Airbnb I have decorated (all a theme) and (no offense to Memaw’s a Southern She) this one may be my favorite so far! Thanks Jeremy for being so cool and using your skills to make another persons dream a reality!

02/13/2022

A short clip of the time lapse video of Elissa and Blake painting the mural at The Hangar. It is going to be so AWESOME when it’s finished! Stay tuned!

02/07/2022