Blue Bridge Homes is one of Owensboro’s popular residential accommodations for anyone looking to move away from their current home. By booking through Airbnb, Shanna McGinnis said she was trying to help transform Owensboro into a destination town.
McGinnis now has two homes open to rent for trips and extended stays. His first house called “The 1985 Home” has been open since September, but his second called “Retro Revival House” opened in March.
McGinnis tries to give each house its own theme and overall feel. The Retro Revival Home has the original 1950s bathroom and kitchen with some updates.
“I just thought I wanted to give all of these homes a theme and a personality, so let’s keep that retro vibe…and let it inspire the theme of the home,” McGinnis said.
The house has been open for 6 weeks and has been occupied by guests, each giving excellent responses according to McGinnis.
When summer arrives, McGinnis is excited about the prospects of the two locations, which are quite conveniently located. She said when Porchfest kicks off, both venues can provide great access, especially the 1985 house.
Looking forward, she hopes to have a home that can accommodate longer stays of around 60-90 days, as well as a home decorated with local produce and artwork that can be purchased during a guest’s stay. .
“I would love to one day have a house that can be bought, where the artwork is done by local artists and guests can literally buy it off the walls,” she said.
It is currently partnering with Big Turkeyfoot Coffee, allowing guests to scan a QR code to purchase more coffee to take home with them or use during their stay.
When McGinnis started Blue Bridge Homes, she said she noticed the town was — and still is — on an uptrend and wants to help provide places to stay as Owensboro becomes a destination city.
For now, she said most guests stay less than 7 days, but she has stayed for more than a month. She said the reasons for the stays ranged from short getaways to hospital visits to work projects and more.
Nonetheless, she says, they all come to Owensboro and experience the culture.
“I really think Owensboro is going to be a place people come to visit for the sake of coming to visit, not just because they came here for something else,” McGinnis said.
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