Questions & Answers with community faces
Marta Turnbull (35) was raised in Traverse City and graduated from Traverse City West High School in 2006. She then attended Davenport University in Grand Rapids and InHolland University in Amsterdam; she graduated from both in 2009, with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing, advertising, and promotions and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and international business, respectively.
After graduation in The Netherlands, Turnbull’s career in marketing started with a production company in Detroit in 2009, then a digital marketing agency in Traverse City in 2011, before she joined a tech company in 2014 that took her across the country and included extended stays in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Throughout her time in marketing and tech, Turnbull was also taking advantage of the “gig economy.” She began renting out her spare bedroom in 2012 on the newly launched Airbnb. A year later, Turbull hired Kendall McIntyre (28)—who was still in highschool at the time—as a part-time housekeeper, a position that eventually grew to be the operations manager of Turnbull’s entire collection of houses in Traverse City that include a mix of vacation rentals, affordable housing, traditional rentals, and refugee hosting.
Throughout her life, Turnbull has remained deeply connected to Northern Michigan, where she has roots going back seven generations, and more specifically, to Bear Lake, where both sets of her grandparents lived. So in May 2023, she finally took a big plunge with a major career change that she had been thinking about for more than a decade—since renting out that first Airbnb room.
Bear Lake—home to just over 300 year-round residents—is a village beside a beautiful inland lake of the same name just over the Benzie-Manistee county line. The former Bella Vista Inn was originally built 1962 and has changed hands several times over the past six decades, until Turnbull bought it, changed the name to Motel Bear Lake, and got to work with McIntyre, who now serves as the motel’s general manager. (And yes, they both still work on the Traverse City housing business, as well.)
The name is not the only thing that has changed: over the past year, renovation projects have included painting every inch of every room, rehabbing the pool, and fully renovating the original office into a ’70s-era lounge that will function as a community gathering space, as well as building out an industry-leading tech infrastructure that powers the highly automated guest experience. (Turnbull likes to joke that this is her own real-life version of “Schitt’s Creek,” a popular television show—starring Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, and Catherine O’Hara—in which a wealthy family loses all of their money, except for the town that they had jokingly bought on a lark, and now they are forced to live in the retro motel, which needs ample repairs.)
Turnbull, McIntyre, and their small-but-mighty team of women have reimagined this roadside motel in mid-century colors and nostalgic decor with modernities such as organic toiletries, smart TVs, and a noise machine in each of the 18 rooms.
Continuing with our interview series on impactful Northern Michigan characters, The Betsie Current caught up with Turnbull as she was preparing for the busy summer season with a calendar full of community events and a never-ending list of renovation projects.
The Betsie Current: What made you want to own a motel in a small town?
Marta Turnbull: Since hosting my first Airbnb guests in my spare bedroom more than 10 years ago, I knew I wanted to do it at scale; maybe a collection of cottages or—dare to dream—a motel. It took 15 years of working in marketing and tech to be in a position to take the leap with the motel. But it had to be in Bear Lake; I only wanted to do this here. It was serendipitous timing when I approached the previous owners; they were interested in selling. My family has deep roots in this area. A lot of people do; it’s a community of multi-generational locals. The paternal side of my family were early settlers and farmers here. We can trace that family lineage in the Blaine Township Cemetery from my cousin to my great-times-six-grandparents, who have their Native American names on their headstones—”Pun wa kin,” which translates to “walks with us.” My maternal side moved to Manistee in the mid-1960s, when my grandfather purchased Manistee Drop Forge and relocated his family from Chicago. A first-generation immigrant from Poland, he had worked as a ranch hand in North Wisconsin, fought on the beaches of Normandy, and returned to have a family and live the American dream. My parents both graduated from Bear Lake High School, and I spent my weekends, summers, and every holiday visiting my grandparents on Bear Lake, and our family still has my dad’s childhood home, located just two blocks from the motel. I don’t think there’s a more American origin story than this, and that’s why Bear Lake calls me back—it’s my time to actively participate in a community that has cared for my family since before I was born. It’s an honor and a big responsibility.
Current: What does a typical day of work look like for you?
Turnbull: I start my morning with herbal tea and my computer—responding to emails and our social media channels, following up on tech issues, responding to guest reviews, or digging into our Quickbooks accounting system. Everyday at 9 a.m., Kendall, the motel’s general manager, and I have a call to go through the status of our projects, often shifting priorities, because some issue has come up in the last 24 hours, like our mechanical room flooding or scheduling our housekeeping team. During my one-hour commute from Traverse City, where I live, to the motel in Bear Lake, I listen to podcasts. Currently, it’s a mix of Seth Godin business philosophy and anything on AI [artificial intelligence]. Even in a brick-and-mortar business like our motel, we’re implementing strategies and tools like a tech company. Once at the motel, it can be anything, and we share most of it on our social media platforms—the good, the bad, the ugly, the comical, the not-so-comical. Kendall handles all of our day-to-day operations, like guest communication, staff scheduling, and inventory control, as well as managing our constant rotation of contractors, troubling-shooting 60 years of property maintenance, and handling a lot of the repairs herself. I handle our back-of-house logistics, like marketing, accounting, partnerships, as well as continually tweaking the aesthetics of our rooms and brand. There’s also a lot of physical work; not many days go by when Kendall and I aren’t carrying a couch or hauling heavy packages up from the basement. The days fly by, and we’re often working longer hours than we hoped, but the lists are long and we’re impatient to get them done.
Current: How have you seen your work grow and change? How do you hope that it will continue to grow? What is next?
Turnbull: We just celebrated our one-year anniversary of owning the motel, and looking back, this first year has been focused on renovating every piece of the physical building and laying the foundation for our operational systems, all while curating a guest experience that makes the previous two pieces feel more complete than they are. I already feel the transition into the second chapter; it’s where the building becomes maintenance vs. renovations, and operations mature from trial and error to optimizations. This transition allows us to shift some of our focus to our community, and we’re so excited about that. I’ve been nominated to the board of Manistee Tourism, where I plan to direct some of their resources to Bear Lake. We’re hosting Saturday morning community yoga at the motel starting at the end of June, we’ll host our second—of hopefully many—fundraisers for the Bear Lake Promoters also at the end of the month, and we’re celebrating our pool finally opening with an open house for first responders and military families. There are so many people caring for Bear Lake. It feels great to join the momentum. Expect more local events! We want the motel to be a space for the community.
Current: We heard you are hosting Pride events this June; what can you tell us about them?
Turnbull: For the second year in a row, we’re partnering with our friends at Iron Fish Distillery to host Up North Pride’s Drag Bingo on June 14; Lume joined us this year, too. We’re pairing this event with a “Pride Sleepover” at the motel that includes bedtime stories, morning yoga from Living Beyond Yoga, and a chill poolside hang out. The package includes little treats from our friends at Kilwins Frankfort, Dunegrass, Higher Grounds Coffee, Thomas Judd Care Center, and more. It’s going to be a weekend of community, wellness, and fun. We sold out the sleepover packages within hours of announcing it on our Instagram; it shows us that people want to build connections and community around events like this.
Current: On that note, we know that your motel is all about inclusivity. Can you tell us more about why that was important to you and how it is showing up in what you do?
Turnbull: Our primary goal is to impeccably host our guests. That means making everyone feel welcome. Inclusivity is often spoken about in relation to the LGBTQ+ community, which we do cater to, but we also use our business to support first responders, military families and veterans, people of color, solo-female travelers, and pet owners. It’s about creating a space that all people can make memories in.
Current: What kinds of things do you do for fun, when you are not working? What other things are you involved with? How did you get involved with them, and why are you passionate about these causes?
Turnbull: When I’m not at the motel, I’m often traveling. During the past year, I’ve been to Canada, Colombia, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, and some quick domestic getaways. I love being fully immersed in a different culture, and I always love coming home to Northern Michigan. It’s a beautiful balance. I’m also very committed to social justice. I’m a co-founder of Up North Pride and the Global Student Organization at Davenport University. Most recently, I’ve hosted several fundraisers for local and international non-profits, including Bear Lake Promoters, World Central Kitchen, and candidates running for local office. A love of people is the connection between both of these; travel and social justice. The more we learn about things—people, places—that seems foreign or strange, the more we see our commonalities. Those commonalities expand our capacity for empathy. And that empathy drives us to action.
Current: How have you seen Northern Michigan change since you grew up here? What are your hopes for the area in the future?
Turnbull: I grew up in Traverse City, which has changed in nearly every way. The once vacant downtown is now thriving, but with it has come the endless construction of high-end condos and a skyrocketing cost of living. Bear Lake, on the other hand, has changed very little since the days when I would visit my grandparents here. The Triginta Club is still making the village gardens beautiful; my grandma was a member. And nothing compares to an order of Moose Nuts from Rosie’s Place; but a few buildings have been demolished, and very few new businesses have survived. I still miss the pancake breakfast at The Lion’s Club. My goal for the village is tactfully and intentionally reallocating some of those tourist dollars and economic success from adjacent regions to Bear Lake. It’s about adding resources to preserve the parts that make it charming, beautiful, and welcoming while bringing new opportunities that will empower the next generations to build successful lives here, creating an economy that supports small business growth, and improving the standard of living for everyone. I see Manistee County navigating this with grace and success—Bear Lake’s time is now. I focus on the economic and community perspective a lot, because it aligns with my experience and personal convictions; but I need to call out the biggest thing that hasn’t changed, and that is the beauty of nature. Generations have cared for our land and our waters, and we all owe them our never-ending gratitude. Sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan or at the end of my family dock, the world looks different. It’s where I find peace.
Current: What is the best or most rewarding part of your job?
Turnbull: The most rewarding part of the motel is the human connections. Our guests work all year to have a few vacation days. These trips are often the memories that define a well-lived life, and our woman-powered team is committed to impeccably hosting them. It’s also our community connections, as well. I mentioned the Bear Lake Promoters and Manistee Tourism earlier, because they have been so supportive. These relationships are foundational to our success; it’s access to resources, expanded marketing reach, and encouragement. My second favorite is thrifting original pieces and redecorating rooms. I feel like I’m a kid again, and it’s Barbie’s Dream Motel. It’s so fun!
Current: What could Northern Michigan do to attract more and/or retain talented people in this area? What else does Northern Michigan need?
Turnbull: I’m still learning the influencing factors of our economy. There are a lot of positive things happening. For instance, Bear Lake School District is specifically addressing cycles of poverty and exposing students to experiences outside of Northern Michigan. Sarah Harless, principal at the Bear Lake School, shared with me stories of their seniors’ trip to Washington, D.C., and successful fundraisers for their athletics department. She said, “Anything the students need, the community will provide.” That’s the foundation for a strong future and a successful economy. Coming from my background in tech, I see more than just the possibility for remote workers to relocate here for the nature and small-town charm but also that our students can start their careers working remotely. There are lots of online jobs for major companies like Google that don’t require a university degree. For someone who doesn’t see college as an option or someone who doesn’t want to take on student debt, there is still a path to financial stability in the digital space. When external money starts flowing into our economy, we’ll see the ripple effect in our local businesses immediately, and we’ll see a generational shift in standard of living.
Current: What does your perfect summer day look like in Northern Michigan? How would you spend it?
Turnbull: It starts with a cup of tea on the patio next to the motel’s pool, staring out over the lake, listening to the quiet bustling of guests getting ready for their day trips. Then it’s breakfast at Lakeside Cafe, fill up our water bottles at Old Faceful, a quick nine holes at Wolf River Golf Park, then hanging at my grandma’s house on Bear Lake. There’s always a mess of friends, family, and tons of food. We’ll drive over to Arcadia Bluffs to listen to the bagpiper as the sun starts to set but always be back to catch the end of the sunset over Bear Lake. Nothing compares.
Want to stay up to date on all things Motel Bear Lake? Visit MotelBearLake.com online. Follow @MotelBearLake on Instagram for real-time updates, from cleaning up a flooded pool room to applying for grants. Check out “Motel Bear Lake” on Facebook for upcoming events, like the “Puff and Paint – Live Mural Painting” and Marta’s personal favorite, Community Yoga, on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m throughout the summer, starting June 22—$5/person, extra mats available. Send an email to info@motelbearlake.com or call 231-224-6273 for more information.
Featured Photo Caption: Marta Turnbull (35) is owner of Motel Bear Lake, which she and her woman-powered team have been renovating over the past year. Photo courtesy of Lil Jess Photography.
