Wednesday, May 1, 2024
For Debra and Danny Kilgore, the slogan “a place of new beginnings and peace” set the foundation for the opening of Pennoli Bed and Breakfast.
Following a string of events in 2020 that included family tragedies and the outbreak of COVID-19, the Kilgores decided to leave their home in Washington state to join their daughter and granddaughter in Texas. After officially moving in 2021, they settled in Killeen for about one year before they began their search for a retirement home and investment property.
“When we came here, we loved the weather, our granddaughter is here, our daughter is here and we thought this would be a good place to retire and have income property,” Debra Kilgore said. “We didn’t know it was going to be a bed and breakfast though.”
Settled along Gatesville’s Main Street, it’s difficult to miss the two-story colonial white house only a few blocks from the downtown square. Most recently known as the Widow Lambeth Inn, the Kilgores first noticed the historical home when driving through Gatesville for a DPS appointment.
“I was driving down here, and I noticed this house,” Danny Kilgore said. “Now, that would be a house I would like to own.”
When the house became available for sale on a real estate website, they decided to take the chance and reopen it as a bed and breakfast in 2022.
While owning a bed and breakfast was not part of their original plan, it has always been Debra Kilgore’s dream to open one. With her background in hospitality, plus Danny Kilgore’s desire to be a small business owner, the idea of owning a small-town bed and breakfast was not far out of reach.
“I believe God said I was ready to have my dream become a reality,” Debra Kilgore said.
‘Pennoli’ combines the names of Danny and Debra Kilgore’s two dogs, Penny and Olive, and it also represents the meaning behind the business’s slogan.
“We want it to be a place of new beginnings and peace,” Debra Kilgore said. “Penny’s name means ‘new beginning and Olive’s name means ‘peace.’ That’s what we want people to feel, and that’s what we want our community (to feel) when they’re driving by here – we want them to feel that ambience.”
History and restoration
Although the deed dates its construction to 1955, the Kilgores believe the home is decades older, and that a fire might have destroyed its original deed.
According to the “Coryell County Scrapbook” by Mildred Watkins Mears, a fire at the courthouse square destroyed many early city records in the late 1800s.
Due to the lack of records, the Kilgores have taken it upon themselves to track down its history through local research and old maps of Gatesville. One map provides evidence it could have been built as early as the 1880s.
“It would have been nice to know exactly when this was built, but we know it could be one of the first or built not very long after it (the town) was founded,” Danny Kilgore said.
The Kilgores lived in historic homes during their years in the Pacific Northwest, allowing them to appreciate the architecture, but also recognize the hard work of restoration. Throughout the renovation process, the Kilgores have gone to great lengths to restore the home while also maintaining its character.
Some of the original features include the fireplace mantel, windows, and wooden floors upstairs. While some of the floors needed renovating, the Kilgores tried to match it to the original wood.
“We tried to stay as close to the color of the original wood to keep the character of the home,” Debra Kilgore said. “If you look at the trim you can see that it’s an original trim that came with the house when we bought it, so that’s how we matched it.”
The décor of Pennoli nods to the home’s historic ambience, with a mix of antique and modern furniture and art. It offers three guest rooms known as the Bluebonnet Suite, Longhorn Suite, and Magnolia Suite, plus a “glamping” camper that provides access to an outdoor seating area.
Guests can also gather in the downstairs dining room, lounge/bar area, and living room, or the upstairs parlor for a quieter environment.
“When people come in, I want them to feel like they’re at home,” said Debra Kilgore.
Cherished memories
Interviews with long-time residents of Gatesville have also helped the Kilgores discover the history of the house.
Although a variety of businesses and residents have lodged in the house over the years, it became a childhood home for the Ament siblings in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Emily Young, Laverne Harris, and Bill Ament fondly remember their youngest sister, Kay Herring, taking her first steps in the house.
“I think that would have been a great place to grow up,” Herring said. “It was the center of town, and all the activities were going on there.”
Photographs shared by siblings show an image of a four-year-old Bill Ament sitting on the original front porch, and one of him in the front yard on a tricycle with a one-year-old Kay Herring.
“We had a lot of fun there,” Bill Ament said. “I remember enough about it.”
Despite their short tenure in the house, they agree it became a place of fond memories.
“It brings back memories to us,” Laverne Harris said. “We were only there two or three years, but it seems like that I can remember more things that happen there than anywhere else.”
Decades later, the siblings have had a chance to revisit the home and appreciate the Kilgores keeping the home’s memory alive.
“I just love being here and seeing it again, and that it’s fixed up so nice and cute,” Emily Young said.
A space for the community
As a bed and breakfast, Pennoli welcomes visitors from out of town and locals needing a staycation. However, the Kilgores have also opened it as a place to support their community and other local businesses.
During Gatesville festivals, Pennoli provides a space for local businesses to set up a booth and sell their products. The Kilgores also advertise locally-owned businesses to guests, encouraging them to shop and dine in the Gatesville area.
“We’re really trying hard to incorporate new businesses that are just starting up,” Danny Kilgore said.
To give back to their community, Debra Kilgore adds that they also partner with local organizations for various charity and community events. On Oct. 28 - Nov. 30, Pennoli is partnering with Righteous Roots for their annual coat drive.
“I want it to be something that Gatesville’s proud of. And that’s why I want to be very involved with the community,” Debra Kilgore said.
