By Diane M. Moore
The house at 1305 Church Ave. in Chipley sat vacant for many years but now it’s the home of Chipley’s very own bed and breakfast – The Sullivan House Florida.
Owner and operator David Doherty bought the property in May 2022 from the family of the original owners who had the land and original homestead since 1880. A fire took the first home but was rebuilt in 1927 to the house it is today.
Doherty, a former general contractor, said he saw the house but didnÂ’t think about buying it at first.
“I flip houses; that is why I was in the area,” he said. “While I was speaking with my Realtor, I asked for grins and giggles what the price was on the place. The rest is history.”
While the Alford family owned the home for over a century, Doherty named the place after his mother, Judy Sullivan. He wanted to honor the memory of his mother and beloved family. Just inside the front door, Sullivan family photos line the wall. By the front stairs, sits a book of memories handwritten by the grandchildren of the original family.
Doherty and crew have been busy refurbishing the inside of the nearly 100-year-old house bringing it back to its former glory.
“We have worked over the last year to get the inside of the house completed,” Doherty said. “We will be using the winter months to get the outside the way we want it. There is so much to see here, and we are proud to have accomplished what we have.”
The home has seven bedrooms and three bathrooms with only four bedrooms being used for guests. Doherty has turned the other rooms into sitting rooms and a personal home for himself.
The shiny herringbone design of the hardwood floors is eye-catching along with the chandeliers and some original light fixtures. The house boasts a formal dining area, porch dining and a lounge named “Jim’s Room” in honor of the Sullivan family Patriarch, with a large mounted elk over the fireplace.
Doherty said he hopes to expand the B&B into a restaurant one day.
“We will do the B&B as well as an event location and hopefully one day expand into a restaurant. There is plenty of room to do anything we would like,” he said.
Impeccable service with staff on-hand is what Doherty said one will find at The Sullivan House Florida.
“We will offer top notch service and amenities for our guests,” he said. “Our staff will be on hand to meet all our guests’ needs.”
The Sullivan House Florida will host an open house Nov. 19 in conjunction with the Chipley First Presbyterian Church Scottish Festival and Highland Games.
For more information or to book a stay at The Sullivan House Florida visit www.sullivanhouseflorida.com, call 850-900-7464 or find them on Facebook at The Sullivan House Florida.
COLLIN BREAUX