WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Tucked off Euclid Avenue, the striking stone Willoughby House is hard to miss. Its outer beauty is what sold co-owner Mike Neundorfer and his brother Paul into buying the building nearly two years ago.
Formally known as the Willoughby Mansion built in 1902, the space was first a home, but as years passed it turned into a girl's school, then eventually an assisted living facility in the late 80s. The building sat vacant since 2017 until the Neundorfer brothers came along. They wanted the space to be a center for gathering again, and above all a celebration of its history.
After 20 months of serious renovations, the Willoughby house now has 7 suites in the main house and 3 two-bedroom suites in the carriage house for overnight guests. Each room is unique, filled with different details like original furniture or drapes. And it's now home to the restaurant Julia's 1902 named after Julia French Boyce who commissioned the mansion over a century ago. Head Chef, José Coronado is in charge of the fine dining menu mainly inspired by his Guatemalan roots.
Neundorfer nurtured and saved the historic building from the inside out and he believes the guest experience starts from the inside as well by paying his team livable wages.