This weekend I took my family to a Sunday brunch at the newly reopened and reimagined Colonial Inn in downtown Hillsborough.

I’d passed by the rundown inn — originally built in 1838 — countless times over the past decade or more while visiting my brother. We always talked about how someone should fix it up and “do something nice with it.”

But each year, the paint had cracked a little more, the porch sloped a little lower, and the wood continued to splinter and rot.

Until one day last year my brother told me that someone had finally bought it.

Always the one with the news, and always excited to share it with anyone who’d listen, he told me about the grand plans he’d heard for the inn as I gazed away with an occasional nod.

The inn held its grand opening this November and Sunday I finally went to see for myself these grand plans I’d heard about when the new owners first bought it.

I heard about the Southern Sunday brunch they offered and, as an added bonus, this weekend they were going to have Santa on the premises! With a two-year-old daughter, mac-n-cheese and the jolly old man was a combo too perfect to pass on.

As the three of us we walked down King Street, I noticed that we weren’t alone. Cars were stopping in the street to let all the pedestrians cross — seemingly going to the same place. Even though not all of them were (most of them were, though!) it still felt like the inn had brought some much needed excitement and energy to a small downtown in the challenging 2020.

Then, as we walked in, we were greeted by the general manager, Elise Tyler.

“I recognize this family!” she blurted out.

Of course I thought this must be from my Chapelboro fame, but she quickly followed it with, “Your brother shows me all the videos of Miss BB here!”

My daughter did a twirl.

Just then, my brother Beau emerged into the lobby, with his chef coat on and a smile that was beaming with pride. I couldn’t tell if he was more excited to show the new Colonial Inn to us, or show us to the staff of the new Colonial Inn.

His company Beau Catering, based in Hillsborough for over 10 years, was selected to provide the Sunday brunch for the inn, being led by the secret-recipe Southern fried chicken dish.

And in a challenging year for caterers and restaurants, it seemed like a partnership made in Southern Heaven.

Beau darted back into the kitchen and we were taken to our seats.

With all the current restrictions due to Covid, the Colonial Inn made us feel safe. We sat, socially-distanced from any other patrons, in the main ballroom with gorgeous white marble floors and a four-tiered chandelier hanging brightly above us.

We had chosen our main dishes when we made our reservations. My wife chose the shrimp and grits and I had the fried chicken. The sides were family style and free-flowing.

While we waited on our food we went to find the big guy in red. Wandering around the inn, I was impressed by how they maintained and kept almost all the original structure intact. It felt like walking back in time, but with the finer touchers of the modern era.

Though when we found Santa, we were quickly reminded that it was still 2020. His village was set up from afar (no sitting on his lap for photo ops) and children could leave a note for him in his mailbox to let him know their Christmas wishes.

None of that fazed my daughter, who beckoned him over with a wave and shouted “A jeep!” when he asked what he could bring her this year. She has become fascinated with them and shouts “I see Jeep!” every time she sees one on the road. And she sees them all.

When we returned to our banquet table, there was an array of Southern delights scattered across the white linen. We had sweet potato hash, mac-n-cheese, cinnamon rolls, quiches, shrimp and grits that made me audibly moan, and (not just because it was my brother’s) the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.

We left with our bellies full and feeling safe and pampered at the same time. The leftovers were just as good Monday morning.

I believe the staff at the Colonial Inn nailed exactly what they were attempting to — a little luxury embedded in the casual comfort of Southern culture.

I think it’s safe to say someone finally did something nice with it.

 

Rain Bennett is a two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, and competitive storyteller with over a decade of experience producing documentary films that focus on health and wellness. His mission is simple: to make the world happier and healthier by sharing stories of change.

You can read the rest of “Right as Rain” here, and check back every Wednesday on Chapelboro for a new column! 

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