A family business through and through

The Roslund family has owned The Fireside Motel since 1981. Perched on the rocky bluffs of Yachats overlooking the ocean, The Fireside is a wonderful place for guests and their pets to stay. No one knows that better than Kristin and Drew Roslund, operators of Overleaf Properties, which includes The Fireside, Overleaf Lodge & Spa and Overleaf Cottages.

Kristin and Drew divide their time between Bend, where they live, and Yachats. From their background in hospitality to their favorite downtime past-times, Kristin and Drew share what they love most about their lives on the Oregon Coast.

From Kristin’s viewpoint

Kristin Roslund grew up in Portland, where her parents ran a gourmet grocery store. She learned about high-end retail and customer service both at the grocery store and later when she worked for Nordstrom in the cosmetics department.

Q. How did you get involved in hospitality?
A. It just happened to us when we agreed to move to Yachats and develop the property as youngsters.

Q. What do you enjoy about owning hotels on the Oregon Coast?
A. I like the satisfaction of seeing our hard work come to fruition. I like the small-town vibe and seeing the guests enjoy themselves. I am way more active here than in Bend; I average walking 4 miles a day, just working/walking around the 16-acre property.

Q. What do you like to do in your free time on the Oregon Coast?
A. I like to hike and go clamming. I also like time at the spa.

Q. What is the best way to enjoy a stay at The Fireside Motel?
A. Bring your pet for fun beach time!

Q. Where do you like to take your pets in Yachats?
A. We recently lost our cat, Finn, so now we just have Tinkerbelle, our other cat. We can put Tinkerbelle in a backpack and go on a beach walk!

Q. What aspects of Overleaf Properties do you consider your personal touches?
A. I look at the entire operation as a piece of art. Every detail needs to be aesthetically pleasing to me. The recent lobby remodel at Overleaf Lodge & Spa is a perfect example. It’s a story I put together in my mind. I love textiles and photography. I try to think of what the guests want and need, what they will enjoy. I want everything to be just perfect for them. I’m a fourth-generation Oregonian, so I have deep Oregon roots. I have a very down-to-earth, artsy Northwest vibe. I love art, which you can see in our art collection and gift shops. I like to thrift shop, which you can see in my wardrobe. And I repurpose things, which you will see in the remodeled Overleaf Lodge lobby.

Q. Where did you go when you last traveled?
A. We have a cute little travel trailer that we like to tow around and go visit our kids. That way, we can go to remote places and cook what we like to eat. We love to go to wineries and camp. We also visit some of our kids in Honolulu, where they have been living during the pandemic. I like warm, sunny beaches. Drew likes ski trips and world travel.

Q. What is something that would surprise your employees and guests about you?
A. I was a ski racer as a kid and in college. I still like to ski very fast!

Q. What’s your favorite season at the Oregon Coast?
A. In the fall, the weather is fantastic! In winter, there are fun storms to watch, and it’s nice and quiet.

From Drew’s viewpoint

Drew has a strong admiration for his father and mother, both of whom served as mentors to him in the hospitality industry. He credits his father for his hard work in owning The Fireside Motel and later expanding the business to include Overleaf Lodge & Spa, as well as his mother for her strong support of the family business.

Q. How did you get involved in hospitality?
A. In 1995, I was working as a professional land surveyor at an engineering company in Vancouver, Washington. My father approached me about the 8-acre property just north of The Fireside Motel. He and his partners would purchase the property to build Overleaf Lodge and develop the 5-acre Overleaf Village (aka Overleaf Cottages) if I would join the venture. Kristin and I decided to jump in!

Q. What do you enjoy about owning hotels on the Oregon Coast?
A. I love enhancing the experience for our guests. Guests of The Fireside and Overleaf Lodge & Spa visit for the coastal experience. This is a special place, and it’s important that our service lives up to the spectacular setting and the strong, local sense of place.

Q. What is the best way to enjoy a stay at The Fireside Motel?
A. The Fireside is very cozy! Those guests who travel with their pets love The Fireside. We love their pets, too! Also, guests have direct access to the oceanfront 804 Trail, along which they can walk as far as Waldport to the north or Yachats to the south.

Q. What do you like to do in your free time on the Oregon Coast?
A. I love to hike, both on the coastline and in the forests, go clamming and crabbing, and hunt for agates and fossils. I also like to explore local breweries, distilleries, aquariums and history museums. And I enjoy sharing my local knowledge, even during my free time.

Q. What aspects of Overleaf Properties do you consider your personal touches?
A. While my strengths focus on the management and development of the property, I also have a passion for service and the natural environment. I have a forestry degree from Oregon State University and have a passion for the botanical aspects of the property. We focus our gardens mostly on the native coastal environment and include natural forest elements, such as nurse logs, stumps and multi-storied vegetation that includes mature Sitka spruce trees. I also love the local history, geology and marine biology. I lead interpretive walks on the 804 Trail, where I focus on Native American history, 804 Trail history, and the forest and marine environment, including the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve.

Q. What is something that would surprise your employees and guests about you?
A. I was a professional land surveyor prior to getting into hospitality, and I have a forest engineering degree.

Q. What’s your favorite season at the Oregon Coast?
A. Storm season, which can happen any time of the year but is usually from October through February. The storms, especially with winds over 70 miles per hour, offer crazy drama in the ocean! I love walking along the pounding surf, either during or immediately after a storm to see what’s new: logs, driftwood, crab pots, ocean treasures, agates or fossils. Of course, I collect and remove all garbage I encounter.