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Customer Story: St. James Social

09.17.24

Cody and Annalisa Bermel value and promote community every day through their business, making them perfect fits for Bremer Bank and its purpose of cultivating thriving communities.

Annalisa and Cody are the proud developers and proprietors of St. James Social, a boutique hotel, full-service restaurant and social lounge in the heart of charming Bayfield, designated “Wisconsin’s Smallest City” and the “Gateway to the Apostle Islands.” The Bermels purchased the iconic, 140-year-old building in the spring of 2022. The building, on the National Register of Historic Places, had been sitting vacant for several years.

The Bermels credit Bremer, Greiner Construction and the many local tradespeople involved in the renovation project for following an accelerated timeline. This allowed them to open the hotel part of the building in the summer of 2023, after obtaining a historic tax credit equity investment from Bremer using a complex, multiple-entity ownership structure. “I really had my work cut out for me on this project. My husband had encouraged me to take the leap and develop something for us, not just continue to be a development consultant, and I was pursuing a complicated funding model,” Annalisa said. “There was a lot on the line, including our signatures. I believed Rick Geisen, a Bremer banker I had known for years, and Tracy Hubbard, the community development finance director at Bremer, would support us. They understood how development projects need to fit into the larger fabric of the community, and as I expected, Bremer has been a tenacious, patient, supportive partner from day one.”

Rick is quick to recognize Annalisa for her guiding role in St. James Social’s successful renovation. “Annalisa has a strong ability to convey her vision, and her passion for the Bayfield community shines through. Annalisa, her husband Cody and their two young daughters all play important roles in the operation,” he said.

The “Social” in “St. James Social” is intentional, says Annalisa. The main level is open to the public and for the public; it’s not a private amenity for guests in the eight rooms upstairs. “We opened the restaurant, and because it was December, our guests were mainly Bayfield residents. We started serving dinner two nights a week, then grew it to five nights a week, and we served coffee seven days a week. These offerings, along with special events and fun surprise activities, have made St. James Social a place for our community, in addition to travelers visiting Bayfield,” she shared. With a full-service restaurant for the public, and a communal coffee bar, sauna and rooftop lounge for hotel guests, there is something for everyone.

St. James Social currently has 18 employees, plus the Bermels and their daughters. While seasonal operations may increase that number, the Bermels are focused on scaling with the right people, not just filling openings. “We treat employees like family. And we’re working with the local high school on an apprenticeship program that will hopefully lead to future roles on our team,” Cody said.

Annalisa’s love for Bayfield goes way back. She spent childhood summers in the town, enjoying boating and time with friends. “I would rotate which friend would get to come with me to experience my paradise. I became the Bayfield teen tour guide,” she joked. But hospitality is at her core, so being able to run St. James Social in beautiful Bayfield is a dream come true.

“We get to raise our family here, reliving those wonderful childhood memories through the eyes of our two daughters. Back then, I would lay on the bow of the boat and watch the Northern Lights at night, and now we watch them from the roof of St. James Social. I love the way they remind us of how tiny we really are on this Earth,” Annalisa said.

Every project in Annalisa’s career has been leading to this endeavor. From the Hewing Hotel in Minneapolis to the Wild Rice Retreat near Bayfield and others, she has been able to learn as a developer and development consultant. And she’s built valuable relationships with experts she trusts — paving the way for St. James Social to come to life quickly in accordance with her vision and values, emphasizing community from the start.

Cody adds that they were determined to renovate the building that would become St. James Social in a responsible way with a focus on energy efficiency, including solar. “We were able to do it right — and do it fast — because we were surrounded by the right experts every step of the way.” Every detail, from the architecture to the artwork and the financing to the floors, was meticulously considered and implemented.

Because of the complexity of the financing, multiple teams at Bremer played a role, including financing, community development and construction. “We have never experienced a relationship with a bank where it felt like they were truly on the team like we experienced with Bremer on this project,” Annalisa said. “They were in it with us, helping us learn, advising us and cheering us on. And it is wonderful to be able to walk our daily deposits over to the bank branch two blocks away. It was meant to be!”

Already named in Midwest Living Magazine’s “Best of the Midwest” and Condé Nast Traveler’s “23 Best Places to Go in the U.S.," St. James Social is a rigorously renovated establishment that will serve the community of Bayfield and its visitors for years to come.

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