[Editor’s note – Mary Rader’s comments below, related to Stan Holubowicz’s re-opening of the hotel and subsequent changes in ownership, pertain to a period from the mid 1960’s, to the late 1970’s. The hotel remained open for approximately 10 years after the latter date, and then closed once again. The structure has subsequently been converted into an apartment building.]

“Dashwood Hotel was built by the late Louis Mosher in 1897, the same time as the Dashwood Public School.

Following twelve years of vacancy, the hotel has staged a comeback. The old building has been torn apart inside, put back together, given a liquor license, brand new equipment and has opened its doors for business.

The new proprietor is Stan Holubowicz, of Kitchener, new to the district and new to the hotel business. Despite this, the business has been brisk the last two weeks. The hotel offers 10 rooms for accommodation, a spacious dining lounge serving plain foods and local specialties, and a beverage room. Because of a peculiarity in the liquor vote in Dashwood some years ago, men must be escorted by ladies into the beverage room.

The hotel was licensed at least 72 years ago to Bill Zimmer. It lost its licence in 1915 with the passing of the Canada Temperance Act, but continued to operate with its other services. Mrs. Luella Tieman, who is helping the Holubowicz family remembers it was sold to her father-in-law, Ezra Tieman in the 30’s. She and her husband continued to operate it until just after the war when it was sold to a Mr. Reid.

Then the hotel stopped being a hotel and turned to bean cleaning and sorting for a few years. When Holubowicz took over much of this equipment and some beans were still in the old building. For the past several months he has been tearing out the interior down to the brick walls and putting in new partitions and furnishings. The plumbing, heating and ventilation is all new. The structure of building was found to be in perfect condition.

Mr. Holubowicz brings his wife, two boys, Edward and Daniel and daughter Theresa. He was with the Dominion Rubber Company for 10 years. He originally comes from Poland where his parents had a business and he has always wanted to work for himself in the same way. The search that eventually ended with the Dashwood Hotel about 1963 when he stopped in Dashwood to visit an old friend, Ron Braid, from Kitchener. He looked at more than 100 businesses before settling in Dashwood.

Mr. Holubowicz is a sergeant in the 48th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers, Reserve. Mrs. Holubowicz did all the interior decoration. Mrs. Tieman says it is quite different than the Dashwood Hotel she knew. Now most of the hotel has warm wood panelling, mastic tile floors downstairs, fresh plaster and modern furniture in bright colours. Mrs. Tieman remembers the present beverage room was a card and pool room where many of the local retired people gathered. The dining room carried the bulk of the business with a wide reputation for good food. It had a steady trade with travellers, especially on Wednesday, she says. The Holubowiczs were overwhelmed by the warm reception they received from Dashwood. Many pitched in on the renovations withour concern for renumeration.

In 1973 Holubowicz sold the hotel to Herbert Zimmerman who operated it in partnership with Len Veri until his death. His wife, Bernice Zimmerman is still involved with the hotel. Scott MacPherson is the manager. Once again the hotel was renovated. The Tiffany dining lounge [has] a very ample selection of Tiffany type lamps. The Veri’s searched through most parts of the province of Ontario to collect these valuable lamps. Antique chairs and pictures mostly from the collection of the Zimmermans add distinction and old time elegance to the dining room.

The decor of the two rooms has been completely changed. Handling the designing was Three’s Company of London under the personal direction of Ron Robinson. An added feature was a mirror that hung for many years in the original home of Sir John A. MacDonald on the Rideau, was loaned to the Dashwood Hotel from the private collection of Ron Robinson. Mrs. Luella Tieman and Mrs. Violet Bender were in charge of the kitchen for some time.”

extracted from “Friedsburg-Dashwood 1860-1985” by Mary (Patterson) Rader, 1985; pgs. 33-34, ISBN 0-9692115-0-3