LOCALadk Magazine

23 Fall 2016 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Great Pines The group's typical day starts early, and is full of the pre-dawn rituals that new businesses owners adopt to maintain balance between work and play. Devlin and Britta wake early, walk their puppy Maple Scout, and head into work. By 8 am, they're fully immersed in Great Pines' day-to-day operations, managing their staff, setting schedules, checking in guests, and working on a line of merchandise for the resort's store. At 2 am, when the Lean-To closes, they clock out, and by 3 am, they're in bed with the alarm set for 6 am. After months of construction and meetings, the partners are pleased with the results. Most summer weekends were sold out, and bookings for the fall look solid. "Moving here and settling into this community has been one of the most comfortable transitions I have ever made in my life," Britta says. Keir's schedule is much the same, and his typical day starts early and goes late. Running one business is a full-time job, running three means 80+ hour work weeks. Splitting his time between Sotheby's in Saratoga Springs, co-managing Great Pines in Old Forge, partnering in a real estate investment firm in New York, and pursuing his master's degree at NYU, Keir is a man on the move. But he isn't taking Great Pines' first months of success for granted, nor is he ever far away from his new business base in Old Forge. "The Adirondacks will always be my home," Keir says. "I grew up here, and the beauty of the wilderness, the simplicity of life, the scale of adventure will always compel me to return." For Britta and Devlin, trading an early morning commute and modern office for the pleasure of waking up to the smell of bal- sam, and falling asleep to a chorus of crickets, of pursuing their passion in a place they love, ranks high on their success scale. "All three of us love that it's quieter in the Adirondacks, more peaceful," Keir says. "We truly feel that it's a magical place where the essence and simplicity of life can be realized. We wanted to create a special place, to make that feeling, that connection, a reality for others." Right now, they're doing just that. Great Pines 4920 State Route 28 Old Forge, NY 13420 (315) 369-6777 greatpines.com From left to right: Keir, Britta, and Devlin, owners of the Great Pines Resort, have poured their hearts and souls into the business. Clark Lubbs

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