The Inn has served as a gateway to the Village of Pinehurst since it opened in 1896, a year after the resort property was founded. It has flourished under the ownership of Ron and Julie Milton, who bought the hotel in 2019 and opened the Villagio fine-dining restaurant. Under the resort’s ownership, renovation of the Inn’s guest rooms and enhancement of the outdoor patio experience is planned.
The Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort and Country Club has agreed to acquire The Magnolia Inn and the Villaggio Ristorante & Bar in the Village of Pinehurst.
The Magnolia has served as the gateway to the Village since it opened in 1896, less than a year after Pinehurst was founded. It is the second-oldest hotel in the Village behind the Holly Inn, which opened its doors on New Year’s Eve in 1895.
The Magnolia has flourished over the past year under the ownership of Ron and Julie Milton, who bought the hotel in 2019 and opened Villaggio Ristorante & Bar, which immediately garnered praise for its fine-dining experience and traditional Italian cuisine, and has become one of the area’s most popular restaurants for locals and visitors alike.
“While we had the opportunity to sell the Magnolia Inn and Villaggio Ristorante to other buyers, Julie and I felt it needed to be owned by the Resort,” said Ron Milton. “Pinehurst understands the rich history, and we believe they have the pride in ownership the Magnolia Inn deserves. We also wanted Villaggio to stay the way it is, and we are assured that it will.”
Over the coming months, it was noted with the announcement of the acquisition, the resort will plan to renovate the Inn’s guest rooms and enhance the outdoor patio experience.
“We are grateful to our staff, who shared our dream for what the Magnolia and Villaggio could be,” Julie Milton noted. “We thank our many loyal patrons for making Villaggio what it is today, and they should know they are in great hands with Pinehurst Resort. The enhancements Pinehurst has planned will ensure that [the Inn] maintains its rightful place as a landmark in the Village, not only for its history, but for its future as well.”
Ron Milton will continue to oversee operations at the Magnolia Inn and Villaggio through the end of the year, and the current hotel and culinary staff will stay in place, with the exception of General Manager Pesefoni Nicolosi, who decided prior to talks with the Resort that she and her daughter would return to Florida to be with her family and continue to run the Miltons’ restaurant in Sarasota, Fla..
Ethan Gross, a veteran of the fine-dining industry, has been hired by the Miltons to replace Nicolosi, and will now work directly with Milton and Pinehurst Resort during the transition.
Bob Dedman Jr., whose family owns Pinehurst Resort, said that while enjoying Villaggio’s cuisine and service on recent visits, he found that he shared a vision with the Miltons to build on the success they achieved with the Magnolia Inn and its restaurant.
“In their short time here, Ron and Julie Milton have not only restored the charm and elegance of the Magnolia Inn, their exuberance and commitment has established a new standard of excellence for those frequenting the Village,” Dedman said. “We want to bring the Miltons’ full vision for the Magnolia to life, and look forward to continuing the traditions and spirit they have brought to Pinehurst.”
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, established in 1895 in the Sandhills of North Carolina, is now a 2,200-acre property that features nine 18-hole golf courses, as well as The Cradle nine-hole, par-3 short course, a 75,000 sq. ft. putting course (Thistle Dhu), 16 clay tennis courts, an award-winning spa, other recreation and social activities for families, and accommodations across one hotel, two inns, villas and condos.
The property has hosted more single golf championships, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup and PGA TOUR Championship, than any other site in North America. It was recently selected as the first U.S. Open Anchor Site and is now scheduled to host the championship in 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
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