The deal to sell The Roosevelt Inn closed Friday. Money was in the bank. 

It was then John and Tina Hough could exhale. 

And boy, did they. 

“If I could do cartwheels, I would,” Tina Hough said. “We were elated."

The Houghs have owned and operated the beloved brick, 1905 former Roosevelt School since buying it for $700,000 in 1999. It has since pretty much been their life.  

It was there they saw children and grandchildren grow up.  

It was there they came to know clients from around the world. 

It was there they devoted their hearts and minds to developing a successful business where there had not been one. 

They believe they succeeded. 

But it wasn't just business. It was about people.

“We created what we feel is something magical here,” Tina Hough said. “And we didn’t want to see it go away.” 

Six previous deals to sell the inn fell through for various reasons. This one did not. 

But there was certainly cause for concern. It was questioned, opposed, disputed and delayed.

Blue Fern Development, based in Redmond, Wash., agreed last year to purchase The Roosevelt Inn at 105 E. Wallace Ave. and surrounding property with plans to build townhouses.

When the sale was first reported by The Press, there was public outcry because initial plans called for demolition of the inn, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. About 6,000 people signed an online petition calling for the structure to be saved. 

The city got involved. In June, the City Council passed a resolution that set a 182-day moratorium on demolition of historic downtown buildings, including ones listed on the National Historic Register.

A key to the deal was Blue Fern's agreement with the city "to protect The Roosevelt Inn’s structure and its facade."

“We never wanted to see it taken down. That was never our intent,” Tina Hough said. 

Blue Fern has sold The Roosevelt Inn, which sits on a separate parcel, to a local person. That deal has not yet closed, and the buyer not publicly named.  

The Houghs feel they did right by The Roosevelt. They invested time, money, blood, sweat and tears. They gave it their all.

 "We have no regrets here. We have done everything we set out to do here," Tina Hough said. "We feel we have left a legacy of goodness and good will and good memories."

The last guests checked out at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday.

The Houghs must vacate by June 6. 

They said they are walking away “happy and whole.” 

“We spent 26 years building something special,” John Hough said. 

They speak with pride of happy clients and employees.

“People have mentioned to us many times, ‘There’s just a special feeling we get when we stay here,'” John Hough said. 

But it was time to turn the page, he said. 

Both John and Tina are in their 60s. They want to relax, travel, try golf and tennis and just enjoy life in North Idaho. They bought a townhouse in Coeur d’Alene and are having a home built in Harrison. 

While they will miss the interactions with people that came with operating The Roosevelt, they are ready for retirement.  

They are happy to bid farewell to crazy long hours, working through myriad challenges, illness and sadness.

And yes, they are looking forward to sleeping in. 

“I did not set my alarm clock last night,” John Hough said, laughing. “I slept until 9.”