Precious Cargo

STORY BYMICKEY FATH PHOTO BYALIE SKOWRONSKI

Nestled between the towering trees and sce- nic nature wonderland of Hocking Hills sits the new AirBnB, a place that is far from an average log cabin stay. It’s the Box Hop: a home con- structed from three intermodal shipping containers with a sleek, modern design.

In 2018, Ohioans Seth and Emily Britt construct- ed the Box Hop, a vision of Seth’s since his time as a college student working for FedEx. With his interest in home renovation and Emily’s experience in real estate, the couple ran with Seth’s idea and created a getaway space in a place where they both grew up exploring. Located near signature hiking trails and complete with a gas fireplace, “all-glass” ga- rage door, hot tub and more, this 8-person stay has caught the attention of hikers alike, as it is booked months ahead of time.

Through the process of constructing the Box Hop, Emily says they aimed to be conscious and considerate of the environment. Portions of the house were made from recycled materials, vendors and contractors remained local and, of course, the shipping containers themselves were given a chance at a second life.

In a region where most bookings for stays are done on paper or by a type of old-school phone booking platform, the couple knew they could reach a younger demographic by hosting with AirBnB, an app for hosts and travelers to book with ease.

“When people talk about their dreams and am- bitions, it’s hard to just take that step to do it,” Emily says. “It doesn’t always mean you have all of your ducks in a row, you sort of just go for it. That’s what we’ve done and it’s been a blessing.”

VISIT THE BOX HOP: www.theboxhop.com/our-story

4 | WINTER/SPRING 2020 The Box Hop, an AirBnB constructed from three intermodal shipping containers, at- tracts many visitors nationally to the heart of Hocking Hills.