A couple’s need for change and a new adventure has transformed a heritage home into a thriving business, that combines history and luxury, at the heart of the community of Dorchester.  

Owners Miriam Andrews and Stephen Trites transformed Lady Smith Manor into a full-service wedding and event venue, complete with three luxury suites, and community pub, after a lot of hard work and determination, and a little help from the CBDC.  

“It’s been a lot harder than anything we’ve ever done, and probably some of the hardest, biggest challenges I’ve ever faced in my life have come in the last five years,” Miriam said of the journey.  

Miriam, who is originally from the UK, was the owner and operator of a financial business while living in Kelowna, BC.  

“It really wasn’t making me happy,” she said.  

She sold her business and started a vintage events rental company but found trucking everything from one venue to the next a lot of work. The pair had the idea to transform the business and purchase a historic home where they could host events and weddings.  

The property search led them to Stephen’s home province of New Brunswick, where there are more heritage properties, and the real estate market is less expensive. 

In February 2019, they found the listing for Lady Smith Manor online, a home built in 1840. The manor, originally owned by former New Brunswick Premier Sir Albert Smith, was named after his wife, Lady Smith. In the 1930s, the government purchased the home and built the extension so it could be used as a poor house.  

The home saw various uses after that and was left vacant for about five years before Miriam and Stephen found the property. 

They visited Lady Smith Manor in April. In July they made the purchase and moved to New Brunswick.   

“When we moved in there was one bathroom and a couple of rooms that were usable,” Miriam said. 

But the state of the home didn’t discourage them because they had a vision for its restoration and transformation.  

“The whole emphasis was based on creating a space that was unique, that could bring the community together, that would give people a space to have unique experiences,” Miriam said.  

During the first year, Stephen continued to work full-time to pay the bills and Miriam kept her vintage rental business going, while working on renovations each day.  

“It’s kind of a labour of love, or a passion project, in a sense because we couldn’t afford to have someone to come and do the work because it’s such a big property,” Miriam said of the roughly 10,000 square-foot property.  

As renovations proceeded, they had the idea to add a pub as a place for wedding guests to gather and enjoy a drink.   

“We realized there was a business opportunity, not only in weddings and events,” Miraim said. 

While the prospect of a pub created a new revenue stream, it also created a lot of expensive red tape and challenges Miriam and Stephen weren’t able to finance on their own. 

“I literally went to every bank. I tried credit unions. I tried private mortgages. We even tried to find private investors... and none of it worked,” Miriam said. “I remember it felt very hopeless at that point because where do you go? We were stuck.” 

That’s when she approached CBDC Westmorland Albert for a loan. 

“It was like oh my gosh, we’re actually going to be able to do this,” Miriam said of being approved for a loan.  

When the pub project faced major delays, she went back to the CBDC for a second loan. 

“We ended up working with two different consultants and they were both great. The process was really good – easy,” Miriam said.  

Had they not been able to secure the funding, Miriam said the project still would have moved forward, but it would have been on a significantly slower timeline. 

“The CBDC allowed us to do it much quicker so we could get ourselves onto our feet as a business in a way we never could have done on our own.” 

In addition to the financial support, the business has benefitted from the CBDC Client Advisory Services program to access a consultant to help with aspects of the business.  

With this support, lots of hard work and patience, The Thirsty Whippet Pub, a quirky traditional English pub, opened in March 2024.  

The space has opened opportunity to host other unique events, from silent book clubs to afternoon teas. The events have become popular with people of all ages, not only from the nearby community, but across the Maritimes.  

They also host markets twice annually to showcase the unique products of New Brunswick-local entrepreneurs, and as a way to welcome people onto the grounds and into the manor.  

Though the manor was able to host a few small weddings, markets, and other events while major restoration and construction were ongoing, Miriam said the business has really taken off with the interior and pub completed.  

“It’s transformed the business because now we’re able to generate income from the pub, the events, the weddings so we’ve got a much wider diversity of income.” 

Miriam and Stephen’s sights are now set on the future, as the couple dreams up additions to the business they hope to tackle – some in the short term, and others in the coming years.  

They also hope to find creative ways to share the history of the home, and the antiques inside, with visitors.  

Miriam credits the speed of Lady Smith Manor’s success to the help of the CBDC.  

“The impact CBDC has on small businesses is extraordinary... To actually have someone who believes in you enough to be able to say ‘we’re going to put our faith in you and lend to you,’ that’s huge.” 

Miriam said she won’t hesitate to work with the CBDC to bring her future business plans to life.