For the third time in eight years, Stone Fort Inn has changed hands.
SOHotel, LLC, purchased the downtown boutique hotel, which includes TerraMae Appalachian Bistro, the 90-seat restaurant built into the Stone Fort Inn in 2012. Stone Fort Inn doubles as a bed-and-breakfast.
Seija Ojanpera, a six-year resident of Chattanooga, will be the hotel's new sole managing member.
The Stone Fort Inn is located at 120 E. 10th Street."As Chattanooga is growing, I look forward to providing a small, boutique hotel that will appeal to a young professional and international traveler demographic," she said in a release Wednesday
Ojanpera will be involved in the day-to-day operations of Stone Fort and TerraMae, and will retain the existing staff. The names of the restaurant and hotel, and the TerraMae menu will all remain unchanged.
But Ojanpera is planning on "upgrading our customer service and amenities to provide a more luxurious experience."
"Over the next six months, you will notice many updates: organic toiletries, luxury bed linens and towels, full-time valet, turndown service, welcome cocktails for hotel guests, room service and improvements in decor that will be in line with a modern, urban, small luxury hotel," she said.
Stone Fort Inn and TerraMae are housed in a restored brick and limestone building on East 10th Street dating back to 1909.
According to Hamilton County property records, the structure has 13,935 square feet.
In 2003, Harry and Maura Phillips opened Stone Fort Inn, and four years later, they sold it to Sydney Slome, a hotelier from Daytona Beach.
In 2012, McCallie School grad Mark Oldham bought Stone Fort Inn. He teamed up with David Mitchell, a former restaurateur, to open TerraMae in December 2012.
Ojanpera comes from a background in the service industry, as well as nonprofit and event management.
Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.