Hard Day's Nite, Beatles mini-museum on eBay

Hard Day's Nite, Beatles mini-museum on eBay

Saturday June 18, 2005

By Mona Sandefur, Staff writer


http://www.bentoneveningnews.com/art...al_news/01.txt


The Hard Day's Night Bed and Breakfast, located at 113 McCann St. in Benton, has been listed for sale on eBay. Photo by Diana Winson


Dorothy Schultz said she and the other owners of the Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast and Beatles mini-museum are tired and want to retire, so the
world renowned operation has been placed on eBay.

"The bed and breakfast, the museum and its contents, and the adjoining property went on eBay yesterday," Schultz said Thursday. "The site reaches an international market. People from all over the world know about the success of the Beatles, and many have visited here as a result.

"In fact, Japan has the largest Beatles fan club in the world," Schultz said. "From the very beginning, this place has been famous. It is an unusual piece of merchandise. We have owned it for 10 years, and it has been full practically every day since we opened."

Schultz said she and her husband, Cornelius, and Daryl and Jim Shady own the properties.

"We have calls from everywhere and are always full," Schultz said. "We have wedding parties who rent the entire house and have had many compliments. We do everything from cleaning the rooms to making sure we have food available for our guests. Everyone compliments us on the cleanliness of the place."

Schultz said the property houses the largest collection of Beatles memorabilia in the Untied States.


"From the very beginning, 10 years ago when we opened, the story was picked up by The Associated Press and we have been busy ever since," Schultz said. "We don't even have to advertise. We have many repeat visitors, many who do not speak English. But they all know about the Beatles, and their smiles say it all."

The Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast was home to Louise Harrison, sister of Beatles member George Harrison, who vacationed there during September 1963.

Located at 113 McCann St., behind Benton Consolidated High School, the 1,900-square foot structure was constructed in 1930.

When Harrison visited his sister, Louise, the then-unknown British musician was destined for greatness. The following February, the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, and the rest is history.



The house, built by descendants of explorer Merriweather Lewis, was purchased by the State of Illinois in 1994, and was scheduled for demolition to be turned into a parking lot.

A group of local residents became concerned that the history would be lost forever and, at the last moment, purchased the property. Restored to resemble the 1963 décor, the B and B opened for business in 1996.

In 2013, the property will qualify to become part of the national history landmarks registry, adding to its appeal.

The museum houses the famous turntable from the West Frankfort WFRX radio station, which played the first Beatles record heard in America, hand-delivered by George Harrison to the radio station.

The couch from Louise Harrison's New York apartment is part of the museum, and is where George Harrison slept when he visited his sister.

The B & B is comprised of four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen, den, and a full basement is handicapped accessible from the 20-foot by 20-foot rear deck.

"One of the requirements of operating a bed and breakfast is the owner must either live in the building or nearby," Schultz said.

"Fortunately I live across the street, but the new owner would be able to live in the adjoining property."

The adjoining property is a brick home, currently used as a rental property, complete with five rooms, and a full basement. Schultz said the residence could be developed into an expanded museum and gift shop.

Schultz said that David McCollum, of McCollum Real Estate, is handling the sale.

That's an interesting bit of history about the house being built by descendants of the Lewis & Clark Expedition duo. I hope whoever buys it keeps it an intact and vital part of Beatle history.

Say, if the place has 4 bedrooms, why did George sleep on the couch? The two children would have each had their own rooms; Louise and Gordon Sr. the master bedroom, so that would have left a guest bedroom available for George.

I've met Cornelis Schultz, and Daryl and Jim Shady when I stayed there last year with my grandmother and mother. They are very nice people.

Beatlebangs, I have the answer to your question: there's actually 5 bedrooms- George and Peter slept in one, Louise and her then husband slept in the master (of course), Louise's son and daughter both had their own rooms, and the other room was a playroom for them, which is the "George" room, where George played with his niece and nephew. The room where George and Peter stayed in is the mini-museum.

The couch that was refered to (and I SAW and SAT on it myself) was actually in Louise's apartment around 1965/1966 in New York where the Beatles visited her and George stayed in. It's also a fold-out couch too, so it was easier for him to sleep in (not crammed in a two seater).

I'll have to scan in some pictures that I took around the house, most of all, put in the pic of the famous couch- lol.

Chant,

Thanks for the information. I find all of this very interesting. When I was a little girl, I read that George was the first Beatle to travel across the Atlantic to visit his sister, brother-in-law and their children. I always wanted to know more about George's U.S. visit and was just delighted when Before He Was Fab was published. I also liked the video/dvd, A Beatle in Benton. I found it a fascinating side of George as well as a benchmark period/event in Beatle history.

There is a thread about this in the News forum.

Here's the photo that I scanned of the famous couch that I told you about earlier

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Beatle Bed and Breakfast

Here's an interesting item for sale on Ebay...

The house where George Harrison vacationed in Benton, Illinois in September of 1963 is for sale by owners, who are retiring.
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Spot the loony...

“Every country I go to, the press seems to think I’m buying 70 acres of land,” John Lennon.



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Last edited by GeorgieGirl : Jun 13, 2005 at 09:53 PM.


Jun 14, 2005, 03:14 PM #2
Sally
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Oh my god, that starting bid is so cheap, wonder what it will go for. I am looking for a bigger place, maybe I should sell my little flat here in London and move over there!
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Last edited by Sally : Jun 14, 2005 at 03:18 PM.

GeorgieGirl
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Sally,
I thought that was cheap too! It's really endless what a person could do!
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“Every country I go to, the press seems to think I’m buying 70 acres of land,” John Lennon.

Jun 15, 2005, 02:06 PM #4
beatlebangs1964
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Knock me over with a feather! I thought Lou and the Chady family had bought the place -- damn shame to sell a Beatle museum and B&B and at such a low price at that!
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Then we will remember things we said today. Yeah.
-- Beatles, 1964

With a love like that, you know you should be glad, yeah, yeah, yeah!
-- Beatles, 1963

If I seem to act unkind, it's only me, it's not my mind. That is confusing things.
-- George Harrison, 1966

Read www.rooftopsessions.com for high caliber Beatles fan fiction.

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Jun 15, 2005, 02:14 PM #5
Rellevart
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Originally Posted by Originally Posted by beatlebangs1964

Knock me over with a feather! I thought Lou and the Chady family had bought the place -- damn shame to sell a Beatle museum and B&B and at such a low price at that!

Far as I can tell, Lou hasn't had anything to do with this institution for years and frequently states her non-involvement with it. She's too busy hawking her tribute band anyway.

The reason it's such a low price is that it's in the middle of nowhere and real estate prices are extremely low in downstate Illinois, as it's a pretty economically depressed area that not many people want to live in.

Seems odd to sell it on e-bay though, I must say!
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Jun 15, 2005, 02:38 PM #6
Sally
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Originally Posted by
Originally Posted by Rellevart

Far as I can tell, Lou hasn't had anything to do with this institution for years and frequently states her non-involvement with it. She's too busy hawking her tribute band anyway.

The reason it's such a low price is that it's in the middle of nowhere and real estate prices are extremely low in downstate Illinois, as it's a pretty economically depressed area that not many people want to live in.

Seems odd to sell it on e-bay though, I must say!

Does seem odd but maybe they think they can attract a wealthy overseas Beatlemad fan who doesn't know about Illinois, I mean bloody hell I nearly just bought it til i read your post
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"he never wrote a song that was just like a song like "I love you, that's why I think you're nice"".

Jun 15, 2005, 03:00 PM #7
Rellevart
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Originally Posted by
Originally Posted by Sally

Does seem odd but maybe they think they can attract a wealthy overseas Beatlemad fan who doesn't know about Illinois, I mean bloody hell I nearly just bought it til i read your post.

LOL!! Oh, go ahead and buy it. Then you can come visit us in northern Illinois with only a 4-5 hour drive.
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Jun 15, 2005, 03:14 PM #8
Sally
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Originally Posted by Originally Posted by Rellevart

LOL!! Oh, go ahead and buy it. Then you can come visit us in northern Illinois with only a 4-5 hour drive.

If I had the money to buy it as a second home I would, and then i would have Beatle parties there and all my Beatle friends here could come and go whenever they liked.
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"he never wrote a song that was just like a song like "I love you, that's why I think you're nice"".

Jun 16, 2005, 02:47 AM #9
monstr66
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ALSO INTERESTING:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
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Jun 16, 2005, 06:59 PM #10
beatlebangs1964
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I always wanted to check out the Hard Day's Nite. Kinda sad that part of Beatle history is ending up as a sale on eBay. I hope another dedicated fan buys the place so as fans can enjoy the Beatle-Harrison history!
__________________
Then we will remember things we said today. Yeah.
-- Beatles, 1964

With a love like that, you know you should be glad, yeah, yeah, yeah!
-- Beatles, 1963

If I seem to act unkind, it's only me, it's not my mind. That is confusing things.
-- George Harrison, 1966

Read www.rooftopsessions.com for high caliber Beatles fan fiction.

BB1964

beatlebangs1964
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Jun 24, 2005, 11:12 AM #11
lennonluvr9
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Yeah that is weird that they'd put it on ebay. I also hope some beatle fan will buy it!
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LittleDarlin909
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Huh. . . interesting.
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Originally Posted by beatlebangs1964

There is a thread about this in the News forum.

Just a little note in between guys, but do go on with the conversation. Indeed there is a 2nd thread on this, but since this one is more in the Harrison direction we just leave it here as well. BB has agreed on this.