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Historic Shadow Lawn Inn has been sold to new owners

Rothesay's historic Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay has been sold for an undisclosed amount. The new owners will take over in April. (Submitted by Jamie Gallagher - image credit)
Rothesay's historic Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay has been sold for an undisclosed amount. The new owners will take over in April. (Submitted by Jamie Gallagher - image credit)

The Shadow Lawn Inn, a historic mainstay in the heart of Rothesay, has been sold.

Built in 1870 as a summer home for merchant James F. Robertson, the Rothesay Road inn, with its popular restaurant the Robertson, has been owned by members of the same family for 35 years.

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Jamie Gallagher, who owns the inn with his wife, Mary Ann Gallagher, said the new owners will keep the Shadow Lawn Inn name and plan "a seamless transition" of operations.

Martin St-Denis and Tracy Pitts of Gatineau, Que., will take over ownership on April 1, with Jamie Gallagher remaining on in an advisory role for a fixed time.

"The sale is bittersweet," Jamie Gallagher said in announcing the sale on Facebook. "The Inn has been an integral part of our family for so many years. We purchased the Inn from my parents in 2010. I essentially grew up on this property."

Mary Ann Gallagher echoed Jamie's sentiments, calling the sale of a family business "a difficult decision," but one that was made easier knowing the new owner's "share our company's values."

"Tracy and Martin will operate Shadow Lawn Inn with the utmost attention to detail related to service and quality," she said.

"Their values, management philosophy and culture makes us very comfortable about the future of Shadow Lawn Inn and our dedicated employees."

The Shadow Lawn Inn, seen here in 1897, was built in 1870 as a summer home for merchant James F. Robertson.
The Shadow Lawn Inn, seen here in 1897, was built in 1870 as a summer home for merchant James F. Robertson.(Submitted)

New owners to take over in April

St-Denis and Pitts have an extensive background in the hospitality and special events industry in the Ottawa region, Mary Ann said.

The couple plan to keep the current employees on staff, and all outstanding gift cards and future bookings will be honoured.

"We see this as an excellent opportunity to continue to grow the business with a highly respected team of employees whose culture and commitment to its customers mirrors our own," the new owners said in the Facebook announcement.

"We have come to admire and appreciate Shadow Lawn Inn for what it represents in the community, and we look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence as the new owners of Shadow Lawn Inn."

The inn's sale price has not been disclosed.

But the nine-room inn had been listed for $1.3 million about 2½ years ago on the U.S. real estate website Inn Partners, which specializes in small inns and boutique hotels.

At the time, Jamie Gallagher said it was more important to him to get the best buyer than the best price.