When Jeff Malloy and his partners took over an old building in 2011 to put in O’Blarney’s Irish Pub, they immediately looked to the second-floor as a potential events space. Now known as the Gibson House Event Center, this venue is one of the most versatile events spaces in Lewis County with space for anywhere from 20 to 200 guests, full catering available, and the flexibility to host everything from a weddings and rehearsal dinners, to a business meeting or presentation, to a holiday party.
“Centralia Rotary meets here every Tuesday, the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber meets here monthly,” Malloy says. “Organizations and companies come from as far away as Portland and Seattle to use the space regularly for quarterly or annual business meetings and training sessions. Retirements, birthday parties and class reunions are held regularly. We like to give back to the community, so we really value the service organizations and charities, like Pope’s Kids Place and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.”
The venue has two distinct spaces available to rent. The 5,720-square-foot Magnolia Ballroom is the largest, and holds up to 150 people along with tables and chairs. The 1,400-square-foot Tower View room is on the east side of the floor and looks out over Tower Avenue. It holds about 60 guests and is one of the most popular spots for private groups to watch the Centralia Lighted Tractor Parade each December. These two spaces can be rented separately or combined to form a much larger space, ideal for large meetings, weddings, banquets and other larger happenings.
Additionally, there is also the Bridal Lounge, which has full-length mirrors and an expansive and well lit vanity area for make-up and hair. Obviously, the space is perfect for brides and wedding parties getting ready before a wedding, but other groups in need of a private prep space have used it as well.
“It’s just so fun because it gives us a better chance to meet and become friends with both the regular users and new users,” says Malloy. “We love being a part of celebrations, which we also get to do down in the pub. Our motto for O’Blarney’s Pub is: ‘Where you’re only a stranger once.’ While that isn’t billed as our motto for the event center, it really is our culture in terms of service for all we do. The staff really enjoys the events, especially the chefs. We have a completely different catering menu so the chefs enjoy getting to prepare the event foods.”
Gibson’s knows events are important to the people holding them, so they do all they can to help ease the stress by handling all the details – tables, chairs, full catering service, beverage service, glasses, plates, linens, a sound system, an elevator and a pull-down screen are all available. The catering service has a varied menu you can choose from for any occasion, and includes appetizers, snacks, packaged meals, as well as full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet selections. Gibson House Event Center can also customize the menu.
“We try to make it so guests only have to deal with one vendor for many needs, instead of coordinating several pieces with different vendors, which can be a big headache and more expensive. We package it all together to provide an affordable event,” explains Malloy. “We assure them we have it under control and they can just relax. We take pride in handling things and getting that pressure off of our guests’ shoulders. We have several years of experience under our belts, so we know how to deal with almost any situation.”
O’Blarney’s at the Gibson House was voted the best new business the first year it opened in Centralia. Recently the Gibson House Event Center was also voted Best of South Sound. “It’s a great community gathering space. We truly enjoy making friends with our guests, and Lewis County has been very good to us,” says Malloy.
To learn more about how the Gibson House Event Center can help you with your event, visit the website or call them at 360-807-4936. The venue is located at 221 N. Tower Avenue in Centralia just above O’Blarney’s Irish Pub.
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