GREENUP — Seven years ago, Eland Spittler was wondering what to do with the barn he had built after adding a bathroom to it.
“I thought I’m gonna put it on Airbnb. If it pays for the utilities, pays the taxes, that would be kind of cool,” he recalled.
The Greenup Airbnb, named Crooked Creek Cabin, has surpassed that. It has become a bustling hub for renters, particularly popular among hunters due to its serene country location.
Inspired by the success, Spittler came across a shipping container that had been converted into a living space online. He had just the spot for it on 35 acres he owns in Greenup, a mile from the cabin.
Spittler has since opened two more Airbnbs – one in Martinsville and another in Casey. But the shipping container, which he calls Fox Den, is the most popular. He attributes that to its uniqueness.
“That’s what I tell people: the more unique, the busier they are,” he said.
He also attributes it to the tiny house craze.
The 320-square-foot rental accommodates four guests with two sets of bunk beds, a kitchenette and bar, a sitting area with a couch, and a bathroom with a shower. One comment Spittler said he hears a lot is, “Wow, it’s a lot bigger than I thought.”
Spittler gets a lot of repeat guests who make the Fox Den a regular stop when passing through.
He estimates it’s booked at least 60% of the year. While most stays are one to two nights, he has had people stay much longer, including a traveling nurse working at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, who stayed for two months straight.
The remote location of the Airbnb keeps it secluded, and the vast, mowed grounds around it are popular with travelers who have dogs, according to Spittler.
While many are domestic travelers, the tiny Airbnb has attracted people from other countries, including one couple who came from France. The couple stayed there while they converted a former school bus they had bought in Tennessee into an RV, also known as a “skoolie.”
The tiny Airbnb became a popular getaway for city dwellers during the pandemic.
“During COVID, it was probably one of the busiest years. A lot of people from Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, wanting to get out,” said Spittler. “A lot of people who had been in the city for a long time come out and can’t believe the stars. I guess we take it for granted.”
The Airbnb has no Wi-Fi or TV, which Spittler speculates might be part of its charm as no one has complained about the lack of amenities. He said there is, however, a lot of wildlife to see. One guest felt inspired by it, painting a fox on an interior wall of the Fox Den after Spittler granted permission, of course.
The Fox Den isn’t the only unique feature among Spittler’s Airbnbs.
He purchased a building in his hometown of Casey, which initially served as an old gas station and later evolved into a transmission service shop. Although it had sat vacant for years, Spittler was drawn to the building’s industrial look and its location along Main Street. As the owner of an excavating business, Spittler said he likes old buildings.
“We’re in the demolition business, so we tear down 50 structures a year, all kinds of different buildings,” he said.
His Airbnb side business has inspired him to view old buildings in a new way.
“I drove by one day, and that old gas station was for sale,” he said. “I thought that would be pretty cool. So, I bought it. Then I thought, ‘What am I going to do with this?’ I thought, ‘I think I can turn it into an Airbnb.’”
Spittler strove to preserve the industrial theme of the old gas station, repurposing what he could. He even traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to acquire industrial items to incorporate into it. One guest from Chicago was impressed with the decor, “from the original shop fixtures repurposed as stylish accents to the seamless blend of raw, exposed elements with modern comforts,” he wrote in his review.
Anywhere he can save history, Spittler said he does. For the Martinsville Airbnb, it was the “cool metal ceiling” that Spittler chose to leave in.
The building that houses it was originally the town’s post office. The building is now used as a warehouse in the front, and Spittler has a small office in the center. But when a group of traveling linemen needed additional rooms for the arrival of more, he got an idea for a room off the back that sat empty.
“It was just a blank canvas that hadn’t been touched for a long time,” he said. “I was like, if you guys need more room, I can turn that into an apartment. So, I turned it into a two-bedroom apartment.
“As soon as they left, I put it on Airbnb.”
While Spittler is partial to the industrial look, he wouldn’t consider himself an interior decorator.
“When choosing what color to paint, I’m probably not your guy,” he admitted.
Spittler enjoys visiting with the renters if they’re in the mood to chat, whether he’s mowing or bringing them firewood at the Fox Den, which features an outdoor seating area complete with chairs and a picnic table.
“I enjoy meeting people. It’s fun for me,” he said.
Spittler is a superhost, which means he’s experienced, highly rated, and committed to providing great stays for guests, and his Airbnbs are listed as highly rated Guest Favorites, consistently receiving excellent reviews. With little downtime from his excavating business, which takes him and his crew to other states, he admits that rating wouldn’t be possible without the help of his manager/cleaner.
“Finding the right people sure helps make life a little easier,” he said.
Spittler said he would like to own more Airbnbs and is already thinking about unique ideas for other properties he owns.
“I have a property north of Casey that I think would be good. I like to find some that are done. Turnkey, ready to do, where I can set them off like I did this one,” he said of the Fox Den. “I would like to do three or four in one location of tiny houses, whether it be a tiny house or shipping container.”