News & Current Projects

New Northland Inn owners get to know community

Crookston Daily Times
By Mike Christopherson, Managing Editor

New Northland Inn owners Amy and Bhupen Ray were all smiles
after discussing their purchase on Tuesday.
(Mike Christopherson, Photographer)

January 4, 2006 - The table tucked in the corner and up a couple steps at the Northland Inn's restaurant has hosted some "power lunches" over the years attended by heavy-hitters from all walks of Crookston life.

But Tuesday's lunch was among the most powerful, with Bhupen and Amy Ray, the Northland Inn's new owners, sitting down for lunch at a table surrounded by city officials and local business leaders.

Before lunch, the Rays discussed their purchase and their business and personal background.

Hailing from Maryland, the couple said they own one other hotel property in Maryland and had for some time been looking to purchase a second one.

Sounds feasible enough. But what steered them toward a hotel, restaurant and conference center tucked in the northwest corner of Minnesota?

"Technology," Amy said.

The two learned about the Northland's availability while doing some research on the Internet. Soon after, last September to be exact, they visited Crookston and, according to Amy, "fell in love" with the place.

Last week, they signed all the papers to close the purchase from longtime owner Dave Bang, for an undisclosed sum.
New Northland Inn owners Amy and Bhupen Ray were all smiles after discussing their purchase on Tuesday.

"We've always been looking at other properties, and when we came here we saw it was a nice facility with a nice staff in a nice town," Amy said. "We met with Linda (Linda Lende, the Northland's general manager) and everything seemed right."

The Rays lived in California for 11 years before Amy's work brought them to Maryland. She's an accountant there, and Bhupen is a systems analyst. They have two sons, an 18-year-old who's currently in the process of transferring from Penn State to the University of Maryland, and a 15-year-old.

The couple will retain their home in Maryland, but said they will visit Crookston often.

No major changes

While the couple acknowledges that major transactions like their purchase of the Northland typically make the current staff at least a little nervous, they stressed that they're happy with the staff and aren't planning to make any changes.

"As soon as they met us, I think everyone was more comfortable," Amy said.

They do have some other changes in mind, however. Amy said they're going to have more lighting installed outside and will be doing some new landscaping on the exterior. "We'd like to add a fountain," she said.

Inside, they'd like to enhance the interior decorating for the many wedding receptions that the Northland hosts in its convention and banquet facilities.

Although they said they've driven around town and met some people, Tuesday's lunch was the Rays' first chance to meet some local leaders. They also got a firsthand chance to see the Northland's staff in action at a wedding reception this past Saturday.

"We met the bride and groom and the family, and took some pictures," Amy said. "It was a lot of fun to be a part of the celebration."

They also met a family in the hotel's restaurant the other day that's having a wedding reception at the Northland next month. "We did some planning with them," Amy said. "It was nice to get involved."

City Administrator Aaron Parrish meets the Rays after arriving for lunch Tuesday with the Northland's new owners. Parrish was joined by other local business leaders and city officials at the lunch to meet the Rays. Standing
on the far right is Linda Lende, general manager of the Northland.
(Mike Christopherson, Photographer)