ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A formerly vacant building will soon be full of life again thanks to Escanaba’s newest event venue.
“I’ve been hosting and planning parties for family and friends for years,” said Debi Haley. “Then it kind of developed into hosting craft night parties in my house where would end up having like 20 or 30 girls in my living room.”
Haley decided to make her hobby a profession, purchasing the building at 1837 3rd Avenue North.
“This building is actually kind of sentimental to our family because my dad owned this back in the mid-90s when it was The Station Bar & Grill,” she said.
Now named Haley Station Wedding and Event Venue, it is being transformed into a historic-meets-modern space for weddings, showers, parties, and other events. Renovations began in January of last year.
“We pretty much gutted it down to the studs,” said Haley. “The walls were a little uneven, so we tore it all down, we put some new windows in, replaced the lighting, paint, new doors.”
One feature Haley has kept intact is the flooring.
“At one point, this was a roller rink, so the floors that are in here are from that roller rink,” she said. “It has a pretty distinctive pattern in it and kind of adds some character.”
She says Haley Station will be an intimate, boutique-style venue, with an occupancy of 125 – 200.
“Something that kind of sets us apart are the options that we’re including in our packages,” said Haley. “We have some really upscale furniture—tall, modern-style cocktail tables—and then our lounge set furniture to really make a nice luxurious kind of vibe for the place.”
Haley says the public has been enthusiastic about the new venue, with its first event to be held in April and several others already booked. Haley is looking forward to all the special memories yet to be made at Haley Station Wedding and Event Venue.
“I think I’m the most excited about providing a space for people to come in, like on a wedding, to share their love story with their family and friends and then look back on that day and just remember how much they love each other in these moments,” she said.
In addition to parking along 3rd Avenue North, Haley Station Wedding and Event Venue has purchased a lot about a block away that will be used exclusively for guest parking. Haley is working on a website for the venue. In the meantime, anyone interested in booking an event can visit the Haley Station Wedding and Event Venue Facebook page, call (906) 261-9159, or email haleystationevents@gmail.com.
