Main Street Inn, Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Among the historic shops and houses of Ste. Genevieve lies a charming bed and breakfast — the Main Street Inn. With its classic architecture and respect for tradition, the Main Street Inn encompasses much of the colonial spirit of its location.

In its early days, Ste. Genevieve was established as a French colony. This explains the names of most streets in the downtown area, such as La Fleur, Moreau and Le Compte.While much of the area has developed along the same lines as the rest of the country, Old Ste. Genevieve intentionally has preserved its colonial style and attitude.

The Main Street Inn

Originally built as the Meyer Hotel in 1882, the Main Street Inn is located squarely in the heart of this historic town. Even though the building itself is more than 125 years old, it has been fully renovated to provide modern amenities without losing its historic appeal.

Owned and operated by a number of different families and individuals, the inn has changed over the years. At the end of the 19th century, the establishment was both an inn and tavern. By prohibition, the tavern had been sold and the inn scaled down to meet the new demands of the populace. Over the next several decades, the building began to lose its luster and slowly fell into obscurity. By the 1970s, the once vibrant inn completely had shut its doors.

In 1991, a hardworking couple, Ken and Karen Kulberg, recognized the potential in the previously vacant building and bought the property. After two years of extensive renovation, the Main Street Inn emerged as the new property it is today.

Karen Kulberg said that there are many reasons guests choose their bed and breakfast over a hotel.

“Our B&B is great if you’re looking for something different,” Kulberg said. “The lack of clutter, big open space and the size of our rooms can all be very appealing.”

Seven guest rooms are spread across three stories. Each room is spacious and private, offering the peace and quiet of a simpler time.

In addition to being spacious, each of the rooms are individually decorated. Karen Kulberg handpicks antiques and furniture to best meet the style and feel of each room. She was quick to point out, however, that the rooms are not “themed” in any whimsical sense. Instead, the rooms are named after important people in Ste. Genevieve’s history. Thus, guests get more than a room — they get a purposefully decorated space with a history and a feeling that cannot be fabricated.

By definition, a bed and breakfast offers food along with the room, and the Main Street Inn is no exception. This service is much more than instant coffee and stale donuts.

“We serve the best of what is in season, preparing fresh dishes in a relaxed setting,” Kulberg said. “We also serve hot coffee and tea in the evening.”

A wide array of local producers provide the bulk of the ingredients used at the inn, and the Kulbergs grow their own herbs. With this attention to quality, the Main Street Inn exemplifies the bed and breakfast experience, which fits well with the feel of Old Ste. Genevieve.

Ste. Genevieve Today

While Ste. Genevieve offers all of the modern conveniences necessary in 21st century America, it has maintained its historical quality. Supermarkets and fast food restaurants noticeably are absent in Old Ste. Genevieve.

“If you look around, we don’t have chains or franchises around here,” Kulberg said. “All of our shops are local and are run by merchants and hardworking people with a passion or craft.”

For fresh meat, there is a skilled butcher. For those interested in local wines, there are numerous and renowned wineries within miles. For fresh produce, farmers gather in the Town Square on Saturday morning. Local art galleries, antique shops, wine rooms, cafés, restaurants and bakeries fill the downtown area. Ste. Genevieve represents not only the archetype of a small town, but an enduring community that seems as though it could thrive at any point in history.

In many ways, the Main Street Inn is neither a strictly historic nor modern establishment. The B&B, like the town, has struck a remarkable balance between tradition and modernity. The Main Street Inn continues to provide the feel of a simpler time.

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