New owner aims to keep newly-named ‘Folliday Inn’ a Folly institution for years to come
by Jenny Peterson | Staff Writer
In the early aughts, visitors to Folly Beach had just two options when it came to traditional hotels—the Holiday Inn and the Holliday Inn.
The former was the eight-story structure at the terminus of Center Street facing the ocean (now The Tides Hotel); the latter, one block away on West Ashley Avenue—comprising two cottages that were retrofitted into 14 guest rooms when Louise Holliday began offering rooms for rent in the 1950s.
A retro sign outside the Holliday Inn proclaimed “swimming pool, cable tv, wifi” on a letterboard that fronted West Ashley Avenue. Folly Beach stories include that more than once, surprised tourists came to the beach expecting to check into a Holiday Inn chain and found themselves at the shabby chic Holliday Inn, where several rooms came equipped with electric stoves and kitchenettes.
“A friend of mine years ago booked a room there and he was a church-going guy and saw there was a mirror over the bed,” recalls Folly Beach Councilmember Billy Grooms.
According to Charleston County property records, Louise Holliday purchased the lot at property address 116 West Ashley in the year 1955. The property was transferred to Louis Holliday as co-owner in 1972 and he was made sole owner in 1986, keeping the property in the Holliday family for the past 66 years.
The Holliday Inn became a Folly signature landmark, a quirky nod to the past, even as surrounding Folly Beach cottages were bought up and replaced with more modern structures.
It’s visibility on West Ashely Avenue near Center Street meant it garnered plenty of interest in prospective buyers over the years; at least one local realtor mailed Louis Holliday a letter on behalf of a client interested in purchasing it.
The Holliday Inn landed on the radar of Matt Baldino, a bar owner from Chicago who is in his 40s, as early as 2015. Baldino, his best friend and their families take an annual two-week summer vacation to Folly Beach. Baldino once stayed at the Holliday Inn and never forgot its charm.
“Back in 2015, I thought to myself, ‘Someone is going to (buy the inn) and put up two really crappy ‘Carolina homes’ on this property and (instead), somebody could renovate this and turn this into 100 years of family vacation memories,” he said.
Baldino’s current and existing projects in Chicago specifically keep the bones and character of historic buildings. “Last year, we renovated an historic bar, Gutheries Tavern, about a quarter mile from Wrigley Field. I found a partner who wanted to save it and who agreed not to take anything down. We replaced the electrical, plumbing, the lines, the walk-in cooler, not touching any of the walls.” When it came to owning a slice of history on Folly Beach, Baldino continued to walk by the Holliday Inn during his annual two-week visits. “One day in 2016, I peeked my head out back and I saw the square footage space,” he said. That space, combined with an impressively large pool, made it even more desirable for him. “It just screams personality. There was something about it that made me think it was worth saving,” Baldino said.
Louis Holliday, who could not be reached for comment, initially declined Baldino’s offer to buy the property in 2017, Baldino said. But the Chicago business owner kept at it.
“We put a last-ditch effort (to buy) a year ago in April 2021 and I sat down there at the Holliday Inn for four days at a card table in the garage and negotiated,” Baldino said. “I left and didn’t think the deal was going to happen, but then his broker called back about a (purchase) number.”
The Holliday Inn sale closed on September 21, 2021 for $3.35 million, sold to Folliday Inn Holdings LLC, according to Charleston County deed records. The sale was for 114 and 116 West Ashley Avenue.
Baldino said co-owners include himself, his wife Katie Baldino and brother Shane Baldino.
Following a thoughtful renovation of rooms while keeping the Inn intact, the newly-named Folliday Inn is welcoming guests to its historic location. “I think Louis ran a really successful operation for a long time. We wanted to keep the character, the charm and I want to keep this place special to Folly, which is why we didn’t raise the roof or redo the front. We wanted to keep the character.”
Renovated by Bowmen LLC and designed by Christyn Dunning with The Guest House Design Studio, the fully renovated pool and 16-room inn have been fully modernized and remodeled with a theme of historic American-made wooden boats with design nods to boat-makers like Chris-Craft and Hacker-Craft.
Folliday Inn offers multiple outdoor gathering areas. Each of the 16 rooms is named for a vintage boat with mahogany door markers. There are five king rooms, six queen rooms, five double queen rooms. Eight pairs of rooms have the ability to connect, creating four suites.
Baldino has plans to bring more people to the Inn, by hosting events and weddings in the 4,000-square-foot paved patio area adjacent to the pool.
Options include renting out the entire Inn for events, where guests could stay at the Inn for a long weekend. “We’re working with some people right now to start bookings and working with people on the island who do weddings for a living down there. I want to make sure we do it in a really responsible way,” he said.
Baldino said when he, his wife and three-year-old son come down to Folly, they personally stay at the Folliday Inn, much like the family-owners who came before him. “We are going to continue to run it as a family business because we wanted to inject new life into a place that is a piece of Americana,” Baldino said. “Folly is so unique; you cross your fingers that it can remain what makes it so special.”
Folliday Inn bookings and event rental information can be found on the website www.follidayinn.com and through property manager Charleston Coast Vacations, part of Dunes Properties.
