HAVEN got an exclusive look into the story behind the recent renovation of one of Northern Minnesota’s finest vacation rentals on Lake Pokegama in Grand Rapids: Birch Street Vacation Home. The project was led by Dante and Tiffany Tomassoni, a married couple with three children: Cecilia (age 6), Crosby (age 5), and Camille (8 months).
“We literally put blood, sweat, and tears into this place. Dante always finds a way during a project to hurt himself, I was four months pregnant with our third, so I definitely cried, and the new air conditioning system installation was delayed, so we both sweat . . . a lot,” said Tiffany.
Dante and Tiffany’s investment, effort, and care into Birch Street Vacation Home has paid off. “We were looking for a property to invest in that matched our values: quality, attention to detail, and a chance to provide a perfect getaway for families and groups. We wanted comfort, space, and experience. Doing this was important, and the opportunity to provide some value-add labor was there too,” said Dante. “The home was beautifully constructed by the prior owners. The lot has seclusion from the neighbors and no traffic, being near a cul-de-sac. The huge birch trees are so beautiful, and the landscaping was meticulous,” he continued.
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Dante and Tiffany bought the 3,800-square-foot home in July of 2024 and painted every wall, brought in new beds and furniture, decorated, added kayaks, paddle boards, a pool table, a ping pong table, an air hockey table, a dartboard, and a cornhole set. They also completed the full renovation of two unfinished garages. “The key was providing as many amenities as we could to set ourselves apart from other rentals in the area,” Tiffany said.
The work and effort were substantial. “We tried so hard to get it open for the Fourth of July that first year and learned it just wasn’t realistic. I was pregnant, and even though Dante didn’t want me working in the heat, I knew I could manage as long as I was self-aware of my limits. I just couldn’t let him do it all by himself.”
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Dante and Tiffany went through three different painters who scheduled and bailed on them last minute and one who kept trying to negotiate the price up during the job, even though Dante was painting alongside him and reducing his workload. The AC installer arrived two weeks late and didn’t even complete the job, hence, working in the heat. Dante had to finish painting, AC work, electrical, and woodwork, often working 14 to 18 hours a day.
The final touches included finishing a detached garage to include a full entertainment area—perfect for watching sports while enjoying the space—and converting upstairs storage into a full bunkhouse with full-over-queen double bunks. Adding a locally crafted barrel sauna for a true northern Minnesota experience was the last touch.
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The home now sleeps 20 comfortably, with something to do for all ages, whether it’s relaxing in one of three separate living rooms, enjoying the sprawling three-acre estate, or spending the day on Lake Pokegama. Kids can enjoy the game room or bunkhouse. There are games for adults, a small library for exploring a new book, and a flat screen in every room. The two main living rooms even have quality sound systems for rainy-day movies. There are bike and walking paths nearby, and the neighborhood is perfect for a stroll. Across the street is a playground and a pickleball court. An 18-hole lakeside golf course is two miles away.
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Lake Pokegama itself is unique. It’s a large lake with diverse terrain, ample recreation, great fishing, and two excellent shoreside restaurants where guests can pull up their boats. Being so close to Grand Rapids, vacationers can drive five minutes to enjoy the Grand Rapids Brewery and multiple restaurants. If you forget something, Target is nearby.
Since opening in August last year, the home has been fully booked for summer days with 22 five-star reviews. Dante and Tiffany credit some of the final touches to their communication strategy and willingness to help where they can. “We want people to feel like they are walking into their lake home—the way they would want it when they arrive. We respond to inquiries like they are our friends and our guests at the same time. And if we fail to get them something, we try to remedy it as fast as we can, even though we live an hour away,” said Dante. The neighbors even bought a gorgeous pontoon boat to rent out to tenants!
“We really tried to make this an experience we want people to come to year after year. When you look at the cost of cabin ownership, economically, it’s such a smart play for our guests. One week at Birch Street is cheaper than the taxes one would pay on a home, and there is no maintenance. We even hired the best cleaners we could find, so guests just have to do the minimum when they leave and will always come back to a spotless, welcoming environment. The cleaning fee is higher than we’d like, but it supports a hard-working team that turns over almost 5,000 square feet daily,” said Dante.
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The ideal scenario for Birch Street Vacation Home? “Repeat families and groups every year who feel like we are all a part of the same thing. We even hope some hockey teams on the weekend see the value in a vacation rental instead of a hotel. There is just so much to do, and the kids can play hockey in the driveway or even on the frozen lake. We hope the work we put in brings smiles to so many, and we hope to see you there!” said Dante. If you’d like to book the property, it can be found on their direct booking site, Airbnb, and VRBO.
