Tattoos. Thirteen tattoos to be exact.
And the baker’s dozen worth of body art represents the 13 reasons why Chelsey DeMussi now is a resident of the Warwood neighborhood of Wheeling.
“I worked at a ‘Mom and Pop’ electronics shop for more than five years, and they decided to close,” DeMussi explained. “Because I had visible tattoos, it was unbelievably difficult for me to find a new job. Unbelievably, and I lived in Pittsburgh at that time, and Pittsburgh is an artsy city, so I didn’t expect to have any issues, but one after another, I was turned down because I guess those employers thought people would look down at me because of my tattoos.
“But once I started working at that Hampton in downtown Pittsburgh, some of the guests had questions about them because they were very curious,” she recalled. “I had an 82-year-old lady ask about my tattooed flowers because she wanted to go get them. So, while some of those business owners were looking down at me because of my tattoos, the hospitality industry welcomed me right in.”
DeMussi is curious by nature and unafraid to try new foods and activities with friends, and that is why one of her favorite parts about working at a hotel is the number of different people she encounters on a daily basis.
“You never know who you are going to meet on any given day. I have met people from all over the world,” she said. “Plus, in my position, I have the opportunity to help make their trip even better than they expected. It’s a very cool thing to be a part of.
“I think a lot of people would be surprised how many guests travel by themselves for whatever reasons, so when they encounter new people, they usually are ready for a conversation,” DeMussi said. “It’s a chance to learn something new every time, and that’s something I’ve enjoyed my entire life.”
Three Reasons Why
Soon after she landed the job in downtown Pittsburgh, DeMussi began working with Taylor Smith, the general manager of the McLure House in downtown Wheeling.
That’s the first reason, and here is the second: once Taylor was hired by Roxby Development to be the hotel’s general manager, he recruited Demussi as his assistant GM.
“At first I didn’t think me and my boyfriend would move all the way to Wheeling. I thought we would be closer to the city, but then we changed our minds because I fell in love with Wheeling the most when I first got here,” DeMussi remembered. “I fell in love with it because it’s a perfect size, most people know each other, but there’s also so many unique things to do in this area, and I never realized that before.
“I believe that’s the case with most of the people who travel through this city because they never get off of (Interstate 70),” she said. “I’m sure they notice the river and probably the Suspension Bridge, but there’s so much more.
The third reason?
Cookies. Yes, cookies.
“My boyfriend, Daryl, is going to start a cookie business, and in West Virginia there is the Cottage Law which allows him to do the baking at our new home,” DeMussi explained. “So, that’s the plan, and it’s going to be a lot of fun doing hospitality and starting our own business at the same time.
“Plus, it is so quiet here, and that is so welcomed after living on the South Side of Pittsburgh and being surrounded by constant noise,” she said. “I really love it, and the people are so nice and welcoming here.”
Step by Step
The improvements to the McLure House began immediately after Roxby purchased the property in June 2021, and the painting of the hotel’s exterior signaled that positive change finally was occurring.
Inside the McLure, each of the seven floors is under renovation with painting and the additions of new furniture, bedding, and mattresses. The historic hotel, though, is much different from the Pittsburgh Hampton because of the additional amenities offered on the corner of 12th and Market streets.
“There’s much more to the McLure with the ballroom, the lounge, an area for a restaurant, and many more rooms,” DeMussi explained. “There’s a whole new vibe here, too, and you can feel it as soon as you walk through the doors. Plus, the McLure is very historic, and it’s fun when I get to share that history with our guests.
“When I Facetimed my best friend when I started here, the first thing he said was, ‘That is a grand hotel,’ and it most definitely is grand,” she said. “Each day something is improved, and right now we’re about to see some major changes take place in the lobby. That’s why this job is so interesting because this hotel is in the heart of downtown Wheeling, and everyone in town is following the progress every day.”
But where are those steps leading the 170-year-old hotel that rests in the middle of a 186-year-old city?
“The potential of the McLure is unlimited,” DeMussi insisted. “I feel the exact same way about the city of Wheeling. It’s a beautiful city, and there’s a lot of re-development taking place right now in the downtown area, and with what Roxby Development is doing here at the hotel, only great things will follow the investment that is being made here.
“I know the people who have lived here in Wheeling have been waiting for positive change to take place, and one person after another has told me how happy they are to finally see it taking place,” the assistant general manager added. “I have heard the ideas and the plans for the hotel and other Roxby properties, so I am looking forward to hearing what people think in the future.”
