January 8, 2017

Meet Russ Blocksidge of The Event Station on Marietta St in West Cobb County

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Russ Blocksidge.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Russ. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We saw the property (an old 1950’s vintage gas station) at auction by the city of Powder Springs. We thought the location in downtown was an ideal investment but we were not at all sure of what to make it into. We started doing demolition inside (it was an old drop ceiling and the walls were a combination of stucco and old paneling. We discovered a gorgeous brick interior with a tongue and groove ceiling. We finally decided to convert it into a small events facility. We tried to keep the interior as original as possible but had to make several changes to satisfy the Fire Marshall. We left the garage overhead doors to accommodate indoor/outdoor parties and events. We added 2 bathrooms and a hardwood floor throughout. We have been open a little over 2 years and are approaching 100 events hosted (showers, birthday parties, weddings, rehearsal dinners, etc.)

Has it been a smooth road?
It has been fairly smooth so far. Getting the ordinal building permit approved was the hardest part. Also, working with the city to obtain a pouring permit for beer and wine was a little bit of a hurdle. Overall, it has been fun and rewarding.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Event Station on Marietta St story. Tell us more about the business.
We host any kind of event that is designed for 75 people or less. We offer everything from a do-it-yourself event (where the client only rents the space from us) to a fully catered event including the services of an event planner. We are most proud of the fact that we allow our customers to use whoever they want to make their event the best it can be. We offer suggestions for caterers, DJ’s, etc., but ultimately it is the client who makes the decision. Also, included in the price of the facility rental are tables, chairs, set up and clean up, and a state of the art sound and video system.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We see that people are looking for more and more services. We have had feedback that our clients like the idea that they can have their party or event, but not have the mess and clean up after the fact if they hosted it at their how home or property. We see our future as bright.

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