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Sequim: Landmark motel reopens under new ownership 2004-07-09 SEQUIM -- To Debbie Bourquin, the Red Ranch Inn is a Sequim fixture; a ``signature'' lodging establishment she recalls from childhood. And now that the Red Ranch has reopened after an eight-month hiatus, her visions for what it could be are all but endless. Bourquin doesn't just have a soft spot for the crimson motel. She manages the place. ``I'm anxious to get in there and market it -- to let people know we are here and we're open,'' she said. The 55-room inn near Washington Street and Brackett Road has a colorful history as one of Sequim's first motels. But hard times led to several changes in ownership. A Seattle man, J.C. Choi, who owned the property since 1998 tried to keep it afloat, but eventually found himself in foreclosure early this year. Choi paid $1.9 million for the buildings and near-acre lot six years ago. $1.1 million purchase Chang Cho, operating under the corporate name of Bellma Inc., closed escrow June 9 on the property for $1.1 million. Cho hired Bourquin, who had worked last under general manager Mike Hurh before the motel closed in November. She immediately hired a housekeeper and two desk clerks, and Cho
has set out planning refurbishments including a new roof and possibly
a new paint job.
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