I rarely leave reviews, but my experience here was so consistently unprofessional that I feel…read moreobligated to warn others.
From the start, communication was evasive. When I asked for the rental fee, I was never given a straight answer, instead I was pressured to disclose how much I was charging my vendors. After finally agreeing to a fee and then it was suddenly doubled less than a week before my July 13 event. The excuse? That the downstairs space was being "opened for me," even though I never requested it. The owner also insisted I rewrite a press release to promote their "Broadway Revival" agenda, something that had nothing to do with my event. I ended up doing free promotion for their venue and agenda when they should have been paying me. Out of courtesy, I gave an additional $400, clearly stating in writing that it was only for two extra load-in hours on Saturday night and for Sunday's bartender.
Once inside on Saturday to do load in with the vendors, I had to spend two hours cleaning just to make the space usable. I paid them, to clean their space. A total joke.
When I arrived at 8 a.m. on July 13, after multiple confirmations with the GM Tom that he would personally be the point of contact, nobody was there to open the doors. Vendors and I were left standing outside, delaying setup for an event I had spent months preparing.
Other major issues:
-I was told there were plenty of 6ft tables for vendors. There were none. I had to buy my own and then fight for weeks to retrieve them. The GM dodged my requests, only returning them after I threatened to file a police report for theft over a month later.
-The owner repeatedly told acquaintances they could vend without checking with me, forcing me to awkwardly deny people tables at my own event.
-Minutes before opening, I was told the event had to be 21+ only. Families were turned away at the door, vendors lost sales, and community trust was damaged.
-The bartender arrived late, overcharged guests, and pocketed the difference.
-The sound system malfunctioned, undermining performances and leaving the space silent at times.
Afterward, I still tried to resolve things professionally. I met with the GM, Tom Watson, and we agreed to host again on October 3rd, with promises that things would go smoother. He assured me multiple times it was confirmed, but kept dodging signing the contract. On August 18, he finally admitted he had double-booked and wanted me to move my date, even though he had booked the other promoter after me.
After weeks of being strung along, I've had no choice but to cancel using their space because he text me on August 18 to tell me that he had double booked and now I'm left scrambling with the potential of canceling my event altogether. Losing time, money, and most of all trust with the community.
An event that would have supported over 40 small local businesses, all because of this venue's lack of transparency and accountability.
Booking a venue should be simple: clear terms, reliable communication, and mutual respect. None of that happened here. I cannot recommend this venue to any organizer or business owner looking for professionalism, unless you're looking to lose weight from stress.
If you're an event planner, promoter, or any person who values professionalism, RUN. Avoid this new "crew" that is trying to revive the fab mab. They've affected my business, and they will do the same to yours.