Alonna and Rob Bailey opened Jeffersontown’s newest event rental space in October, The Blankenbaker. The beautifully remodeled venue is perfect for business meetings, seminars, retreats, parties, weddings and more.
The couple originally set out to find office space for their growing businesses and wound up entering the event rental market. Alonna has owned and operated Branding Impact since 2006, a promotional marketing company specializing in promotional and marketing materials, and Rob has a barbecue business teaching grilling classes.
After several months of searching for an office space that met their needs and their budget, the pair became discouraged by the options available and were ready to give up. Their realtor, Paul Grisanti, asked to show them one last property, the former home of Forest Park Community Church.
“He convinced us to look at it, and when I looked I saw the potential of the venue business,” Rob says. “The business really developed from seeing this property and doing some research about meeting space and venue space, and it looked like there was a need for a middle-market space.”
After putting together a business plan, the couple bought the building in March. Remodeling began immediately, and the building underwent a $250,000 makeover, with a lot of the work done by the Baileys. New flooring, walls and lighting have transformed the site into a gorgeous venue perfect for all kinds of events and celebrations.
The two-floor facility has six rooms of varying sizes that can be rented, catering to groups as small as six and up to as many as 200 people. Each room is decorated with its own theme, including Louisville signatures like bourbon and the Kentucky Derby.
On any given weekday, the rooms may be occupied by several companies conducting training sessions or workshops. Businesses have the option to rent the entire facility if needed, and there are options available for full day or night use. All rentals also include use of an AV system, tables, chairs, water, coffee and ice tea.
The Blankenbaker’s large front lawn area is perfect for hosting outdoor events. Large tents ranging from 50 to 100 feet can be furnished as well.
Weddings at The Blankenbaker can host up to 150 people, with the option for both indoor or outdoor seated receptions. Additional amenities include a private bride’s room, private groom’s room and a toddler’s play room to entertain the little ones.
The Baileys found The Blankenbaker so appealing because they noticed a need for a middle-budget facility geared toward smaller weddings that would still have the classy atmosphere offered by a more expensive venue.
“There are a lot of high-end facilities that can hold 200 to 300 people,” Rob says. “I feel like our niche will be for people that want to hold an event or wedding for around 100 guests, that want a nice place but don’t need to pay for a larger space just to get a nicer facility.”
The Blankenbaker has an open catering policy, which is a plus for couples trying to stick to a budget for their wedding. The venue offers a staging and prep kitchen on site as well, but all food must arrive prepared to serve.
“You can have your own caterer come, or you can bring your own food,” Rob says. “Most facilities have their in-house caterer or have a required caterer, but we want to be flexible.”
Alonna and Rob will also operate their personal businesses out of the venue. Branding Impact is already operating out of the space, but Rob has put his projects on hold to help get The Blankenbaker off the ground.
Conveniently located at 2713 Blankenbaker Road, less than two miles from I-64 and just off Blankenbaker Parkway, The Blankenbaker is easily accessible and has plenty of room for parking. The venue is also within a mile and a half of nearly a dozen hotels, perfect for out-of-town guests.
If you’re interested in hosting your next event at The Blankenbaker, stop by anytime during normal business hours, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call 502-208-4000 to book an appointment. For more information, including rental rates, visit theblankenbaker.com or email info@theblankenbaker.com.
