CORTLAND, NY (607NewsNow) — Available for booking as an Airbnb, The Lunchroom in Cortland allows guests to step into a different era during their stay.
Formerly Madden’s Lunchroom, the establishment opened in 1905 and served railway passengers coming through Cortland. Before the age of dining cars, Madden’s Lunchroom offered warm meals, cigars, and pies to travelers before the next leg of their journey, even featuring separate entrances for gentlemen and ladies.
Ashley Williams and Jonathan Hoffman, owners of The Lunchroom, closed on the building in February of this year, opening it up for Airbnb stays starting in April. A one bedroom, one bathroom rental, The Lunchroom has modern amenities to make the stay comfortable, while keeping the historical charm and atmosphere of the former rest stop. Vintage books and furniture pieces are dispersed throughout the space, nestling bits of history into each room.
“We wanted to keep as much of it original as we could, so we have the original bar that was in Madden’s Lunchroom and kept the tinned walls and ceilings. We found a lot of great pieces of antique furniture locally that fit with the time period to really help immerse guests in the history of the building,” said Williams.
Cortland County Historical Society photo of Madden’s Lunchroom on Central Avenue in Cortland during its years of operation, pictured with a trolley out front of the building.
A local of Cortland, Williams’ uncle rented out the apartments that formerly occupied the space before Hoffman and Williams made the move to Cortland and bought it. Recruiting her dad to help them renovate, preserving the roots of the landmark became a family affair. After being available for stays for a couple of months, the Airbnb has drawn in a plethora of visitors. Parents of SUNY Cortland students, patrons of the Center for the Arts of Homer, and athletes playing at the Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex are among the variety of guests that pass through.
“Before booking, we like to know a little bit more about why our guests are interested in the residence and what brings them to the area. What’s really cool is seeing people who had no intention of spending time in Cortland come here because it’s a halfway point between Syracuse and Ithaca, who then find themselves exploring the area and learning more about its history through staying at The Lunchroom. Being two blocks away from Main Street, it has easy access to Cortland’s businesses, so it helps our guests feel connected to the community while also stimulating the local economy,” said Williams and Hoffman.
Inside the Airbnb, Ashley and Jonathan provide a guide to all things Cortland, including bars sorted by ambience, restaurants, local entertainment, other historical sites, and more. Those interested in staying and learning more about the history of The Lunchroom can find their Airbnb page here. The Lunchroom’s Instagram page can be found through the QR code below.
