Episode 149 // Beth Simonson of Hydeout Bed & Breakfast
On this episode we’re with Beth Simonson of Highmore, South Dakota (pop. 682), where she and her husband John are owners of a historic home now known as Hydeout Bed & Breakfast.
Beth is sharing about the importance of getting involved in the community, and how she as an introvert decided to step out and do just that. Through that she’s seen a lot of her own personal and business dreams come true, as well as some of the town of Highmore’s.
She’s now helping position Highmore as a sunflower field tourist attraction through things like a photography workshop, Sunflower Festival, and more. We also talk about creating an arts council to bring in front porch music concerts and art shows, plus what they’re doing to encourage graduates to come back to Highmore.
You’ll love Beth’s story and learning how brave she was to start getting involved in the community, and then seeing how rewarding that has been for her!
“It is so worthwhile to be involved and you can do so many things in a small town. You can have a dream and you can make it happen. You can make your dreams come true in a small town.”
- Beth Simonson
“We purposely asked different people in the community that had some art background, and before we knew it we had eight people that said yes to forming an arts council.”
- Beth Simonson
“We formed this group and had to convince the city this is important to save our pool. This is important for Highmore’s future. If somebody comes to town and is thinking about moving here, if they see we have invested in a new swimming pool, they see we’re investing in Highmore’s future.”
- Beth Simonson
“When I first started I wasn’t involved in the community. I’m kind of a shy person, and I really wasn’t involved the first couple years of our business. But then there was some things that happened and I just felt like I need to get more involved in the community for our business. That’s kind of the cool thing about a small town, you can make an impact, and I’ve learned that. Through leaving my basement and coming out, I’ve learned that you can have an idea and it might work.”
- Beth Simonson
“The next goal is we need to empower some of the 20-year-olds and let them know they have a voice and they can do some of these things too.”
- Beth Simonson
highmore, south dakota town feature
Find out more about the rural revival happening in Highmore, South Dakota here:
WELCOME TO HIGHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA
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