The Tipsy Butler, at 11 High St. in Newcastle. (Photo courtesy Felice Boucher)
Owning a bed-and-breakfast was going to be a retirement plan for Stephanie and Jesse Cheney, but a serendipitous series of events moved the timeline up by quite a stretch.
When the former Wiscasset Green building came on the market, they decided to go take a look, thinking that the building might make for an amazing bed-and-breakfast, Stephanie Cheney said.
As they looked, the couple chatted with the listing agent, Jessica DeLisle, about their idea to renovate it. DeLisle told them about The Tipsy Butler, the bed-and-breakfast at 11 High St. in Newcastle she owned with her husband Attila.
Ultimately, after research regarding the timing of renovations, the Cheneys decided not to move forward with the purchase of the Wiscasset Green. But a few weeks later, the couple received a call from Sherri Dunbar, of Tim Dunham Realty.
The DeLisles were selling The Tipsy Butler now, Dunbar said, and Jessica DeLisle wanted to know if they wanted to come take a look.
Stephanie and Jesse Cheney agreed, mostly out of curiosity.
“We didn’t even tell the kids,” Stephanie Cheney said. “We just wanted to take a look, but we just walked in and fell in love immediately.”
All the pieces fell into place soon after. The DeLisles wanted to sell The Tipsy Butler fully furnished, along with its website, social media pages, and reservations already on the books.
Stephanie and Jesse Cheney, pictured with their children Hannah and Sawyer and their dog Daisy, are the new owners of The Tipsy Butler in Newcastle. (Maia Zewert photo)
Jean Huber, vice president of First Federal Savings’ Boothbay Harbor branch, guided the Cheneys through the purchase.
The sale closed on Feb. 10.
“It really couldn’t have gone any smoother,” Stephanie Cheney said. “If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that time is really precious. When this opportunity presented itself, we figured ‘why not?’ Let’s go for it!”
The DeLisles fully renovated the 1845 Greek revival building when they purchased The Tipsy Butler in September 2018, from replacing the roof and rebuilding the porches to adding a parking lot and gutting the kitchen.
In 2021, they installed 37 solar panels on the roof of the bed-and-breakfast, which almost completely offsets the amount of energy the building uses, Jesse Cheney said.
With their home in Alna now under contract, Jesse and Stephanie Cheney, along with their children Hannah and Sawyer, reside at the bed-and-breakfast. They plan to renovate the second floor of the attached barn into a living space.
“(The DeLisles) were pleased that this was going to local people who appreciated the renovation work they had done, that we were going to live here with our family, and that we were going to continue to run it as a B&B,” Stephanie Cheney said.
Both kids are excited to help out around the bed-and-breakfast. Sawyer, 9, loves to cook and “makes a mean quiche” while Hannah, 10, enjoys playing the piano, Stephanie Cheney said.
While preserving the renovation and interior design of The Tipsy Butler, the Cheneys have made some minor changes. In addition to adding a coffee nook, mini fridge, and tables to the four guest rooms, they have introduced an option to have contact-free delivery for visitors who would prefer to have breakfast in their rooms.
The Tipsy Butler will continue to have a local focus when it comes to sourcing breakfast ingredients and guest room amenities. The Cheneys are working with SeaLyon Farm in Alna, Trillium Soaps in Rockland, and Carrabassett Coffee in Kingfield. They plan to carry items from the businesses for guests to purchase.
“We’re really interested in forging local relationships to support folks in the community,” Stephanie Cheney said.
This extends to bringing the community into The Tipsy Butler as well. Stephanie Cheney said they plan to hold an open house in the spring once the weather warms up and host community yoga out on the lawn in the summer. She also hopes to showcase local artists in the common areas of the bed-and-breakfast, displaying art that guests would be able to purchase.
Stephanie and Jesse Cheney will balance their work for Lincoln Academy and Central Maine Medical Center, respectively, with their new responsibilities. While owning a bed-and-breakfast isn’t something the couple has done before, Stephanie Cheney said, they are excited about the new venture.
“I worked in a bed-and breakfast when I was younger and worked as a waitress and did a lot in food service, but that was all working for someone else,” she said. “To be able to do things the way we like to see them done or in a way we’ve experienced and enjoyed is really exciting. And to be able to share such a beautiful home with guests is so special.”
For more information, call 653-4103, go to tipsybutler.com, email thetipsybutler@gmail.com, or find the business on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
