Old Man Taylor

Dear Friends,

We hope you're having a beautiful autumn. We closed the Inn for the season just after Labor Day and the Pelican has been hosting its fair share of weddings since we headed back to Atlanta for the off-season. With that love in the air, it reminds us of our love story around the Inn and more specifically, what led our Old Man Taylor to his current role as primary caretaker here. We thought we'd share his story…

If you have been with us for several years, you may have noticed that Bruce is with us throughout the entire season now. After practicing law in Atlanta since 1975, Bruce was ready for a significant change. 

For the first ten years that Corinne and Bruce owned the Inn, Bruce would join us three to four times a season - mostly over long weekends. In 2020, he began the process to turn over his firm and took on the role as a consultant, allowing him more time to explore his new role at The Pelican. That same year, he started to spend full summers on the island and in 2023, retired from law entirely.

When you have a practiced choreography as the one we have established with our wonderful staff, sometimes a new dance partner can disrupt the finely tuned rhythm. And though it took some time for Bruce to learn the steps, he is one of the most important parts of our dedicated team.

And he has most assuredly made his mark here at the Inn. We call him the Tea Czar - no one else is allowed to touch the iced tea. He makes it fresh everyday - never the day before, as this will cloud the end result.

And what makes our coffee so special? A little trick Bruce picked up in law school. Looking for respite after sleepless studying sessions, the now closed Pleasant Peasant in Atlanta was a favorite landing spot. There, Bruce learned that if you add a pinch of cinnamon and salt to the coffee grounds before brewing, you could create a cup of jo with surprising flavor and depth. 

And do we have to remind you of his genius with the ribs on Fridays? I think not.

We are so grateful to Bruce for the magic he adds to the Inn and truly taking on the role as our Caretaker. We could not ask for better.