New Washington Inn is first new business on section of Main Street in almost 90 years

WASHINGTON, N.C. (WITN) - An Eastern Carolina city is welcoming a new business on one block of Main Street for the first time in nearly a century.

Little Inn in Washington is opening its door to guests after their year-and-a-half project. WITN covered their groundbreaking in 2021.

Now, Washington offers hospitality and a place to stay in the heart of their historic downtown.

Owner Felicia Huggins says she saw the need for a place to welcome more visitors from renting out her two Airbnbs next door.

After generations of the family living in the area, Huggins decided to bring this 10-room boutique inn to Main Street.

The inn was built from the ground up on a vacant lot where a restaurant burnt down in the 60s.

“Because of the offset of the building, no one else could really build on it,” said Huggins. “We wanted to do something with the lot, and we were inspired by an inn that we stayed at, and bringing the inn to Washington that we have been talking about for years that we needed one, and we just said let’s do it, and we’re people to do it, so we did.”

Many community members invested in bringing the establishment into fruition, including the Historic Preservation Commission and city leaders. Mayor Donald Sadler says bringing this inn to the city was much-needed.

Mayor Sadler shared, “We have been discovered by so many people that come to visit Washington, so this will be a great addition to our city in Pamlico. Washington has a lot of rich history, so it’s great to revitalize this building and continue the history.”

All the rooms here are named after the creeks of Pamlico River to deliver the feel of the harbor area in Beaufort County.

Little Inn was built with Charleston-style construction with long covered porches, utilizing the space they could work with.

Huggins says the price ranges for the rooms are determined by other local chain inns.

She added they expect a lot of tourists from restaurants and weddings in the area. Four-legged friends are welcome to stay as well.

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