Bunk and Brew offers affordable lodging for travelers in Bend—and a free beer when you check-in.
Frankie Maduzia and J Charles Griggs had the same goal: create a place with a bed for travelers, and beer for good measure, in Bend. Both avid travelers but novice entrepreneurs, Maduzia and Griggs had a serendipitous meeting that resulted in Bend’s first hostel, Bunk+Brew.
Opened in January, Bunk+Brew is located in the oldest brick building in Bend, the historic Lucas House in the north section of downtown. Maduzia and Griggs, who both recently moved to Bend from Portland, had noticed a void in Bend’s lodging options during their pre-move visits.
“I love coming here to climb at Smith Rock, and I don’t mind being dirty and roughing it sleeping in a tent or my car, but sometimes a shower and a bed can’t be beat,” said Maduzia.
About a year ago, Maduzia and Griggs met through a mutual friend, discovered their shared passion for traveling and lodging and decided to go into business together.
Before getting into the hostel business, Maduzia worked in the medicine and technology industry. Maduzia has traveled all over the world, beginning with a trip to Ecuador when he was seventeen. His partner, Griggs, is a licensed attorney and also has ample travel experience. In 2015, Griggs traveled from Mexico to Panama and ended his journey in Cuba, visiting a total of eight countries and staying in more than fifty hostels. During his travels, Griggs noticed a trend of more young people choosing to stay in hostels rather than hotels, himself included.
“Millennials all over the world are on the move,” said Griggs. “Hostels are not only incredibly cost effective, they also offer a community atmosphere.”
The first guests at Bunk+Brew were from France and Germany, and more guests from around the world have stayed there since. The hostel already has a map stuck with pins, representing the global origins of the hostel’s guests.
Built in 1910, the Lucas House has a history of accommodating travelers, predominantly as a boarding house. The seller supported the business partners’ vision for the property, hinting that their plans to continue its legacy sealed the deal.
The hostel sleeps twenty-four people in seven rooms, with beds in a shared room starting at $33 per night. Private bedrooms can be booked starting at $68 per night—an affordable rate considering the average night in a local hotel room cost $121 last year, according to a report produced for Visit Bend. Guests also have access to a full kitchen and laundry facilities. Community living and dining room spaces encourage guests to mingle over coffee in the morning or beers from local breweries in the evening, beginning with a free beer for each guest upon check-in.
“We hope the hostel will be a welcoming place for all ages,” said Maduzia, who envisions guests stemming from a variety of demographics coming to visit this “young, fresh, hip house.”
