INN VOGUE

ennifer Simpson thought that running a bed and breakfast might be a nice way to spend her retirement. But in 2021, when) went on the market, she and her husband, Justin, decided to jump in early and become innkeepers in addition to their full-time gigs, relocating from Wentzville to the Defiance estate. A few weeks after they bought the historic property, they heard some interesting news: The Hoffmann Family of Companies had big plans for Missouri wine country. “I thought, ” says Simpson. Today, Dave Hoffmann continues turning his dream of making Augusta and its surrounding wine country towns into the “Napa of the Midwest,” but Simpson says their three-suite property is already busy. She's hosted visitors from across the country, and she's noticed bigger crowds at area attractions. The couple also joined some friends to purchase The Venue at Defiance (), a glamping and wedding venue that includes a farmhouse, bunkhouse, and pavilion. Her favorite part of hosting tourists in a community on the edge of a boom: the people. “We've met so many great people, and they're all here to have a good time,” says Simpson. “We just love being a part of it.”