Wed. May 21, 2008
Chicago, IL -
The Ashland Arms Guest House, 6410 N. Clark, an adult urban leather/fetish bed-and-breakfast is open. Coinciding with International Mr. Leather events and upcoming Pride Month events, the guest house is now open and ready to book lodgers in a suite of rooms geared to suit guests' fetish desires.
"We wanted to create an adult urban destination," said business partner Eric Kugelman, "with a safe, friendly environment that facilitates the satisfaction of our guests' fantasies, whatever they may be (or not be) during their stay in Chicago."
"We're opening our doors to Midwest, national and global travelers," adds Ashland Arms Guest House partner Michael Syrjanen. "I'm looking forward to planning the weekend breakfast menus and creating tasty breads and muffins for lodgers visiting our bed-and-breakfast from around the world."
Among many features include soft-loft, urban-style rooms with comfortable beds, central AC, communal kitchen, dining and living room, continental breakfast on weekdays and prepared breakfast on weekends, whirlpool bath for two and gang shower (offered to entire guest house unless rooms are combined), combination booking of rooms for suites for exclusive use of amenities, and among numerous services, access to additional equipment such as a sling or swing.
The Ashland Arms Guest House is located in the recently renovated, nearly 90-years-old, Ashland Arms building. Florian Architects, selected for their cutting-edge concepts and designs, fused modern schemes while retaining the historic three-story building's early 20th-century charm.
Though historic records make it somewhat difficult to pinpoint the exact date, the Ashland Arms was built before 1920. Originally, 45 single rooms were available for male-only borders, including workers from north side factories as well as set builders and crews from Chicago's burgeoning silent-era movie studios. The Ashland Arms was a self-contained environment for these turn-of-the-century laborers.
A long-time resident and property owner on Chicago's north side, Keup finally realized his dream of owning a neighborhood bar in the new millennium. "For many years, I was filled with great ideas for creating a north side bar," says managing owner Keup. "Eventually, everything seemed to fall into place and Jackhammer was born. We like to call it The New North."
A few years after Jackhammer was established in the Ashland Arms Building, Mephisto Leathers Chicago moved into the former art studio on the first floor and expanded into the basement. Inspired by the owners of Mephisto Leathers in Sydney, Australia, Kugelman and Syrjanen started their Chicago-based leather studio from a guest room in their home. Offering superior customer service and unique merchandise, Kugelman realized the growing business was also outgrowing their home environment. Quickly becoming a success, Kugelman and Syrjanen established a store-front retail presence in The Ashland Arms Building.
The road to Chicago's adult urban leather/fetish bed-and-breakfast appears to have been traveled by like-minded individuals coming together to share their dreams.
"My passion to open a bed-and-breakfast began after visiting fetish-oriented B & Bs in Europe and Australia with my life and business partner Michael [Syrjanen]," says Eric Kugelman. "Bringing the experience of gracious hospitality and amazing fun to a whole new demographic in Chicago is a dream come true."
"We believe our guests are looking for something different, fun and out of the ordinary," says Syrjanen. "We want them to have an unforgettable experience and then, hopefully, make our Ashland Arms Guest House their preferred destination when visiting Chicago!"
For more information, visit www.ashlandarms.com.
This article was originally published in Gay Chicago Magazine and provided in partnership with www.gaychicagomagazine.com.
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