CRESTLINE — The operators of The Hub at Village Square hope their venue will become the hopping place in downtown Crestline.
Entrepreneurs Vanessa Bell and Alyssa Huss said they already have several weddings booked at the facility located at 311 North Seltzer Street in Crestline. The Hub is a new venture for Huss and Bell. Huss is the owner of Alyssa Huss Photography and Bell and her husband own Create, Restore & More.
“We were surprised with how many 2021 brides there still were,” Huss said. “We were thinking we might get some fall weddings and then start booking for 2022, but then we had a lot schedule for 2021. We’re showing it almost every single day.”
Real estate developer Joe Dzugan owns the former Rite Aid Pharmacy building — which boasts about 11,000 square feet of floor space — and the surrounding property at Village Square. Bell said he approached her about developing a business in the facility and she reached out to long-time friend Huss to create The Hub.
“I wanted somebody I could trust and we’ve known each other and been friends since junior high,” Bell said. “I knew we would work well together.”
In addition to hosting weddings, Huss and Bell plan to use The Hub for other community events. The kickoff event at The Hub is a Mother’s Day brunch scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 8. Tickets can be purchased online at thehubatvillagesquare.ticketspice.com/mothers-day-brunch.
Additionally, a four-show concert series is scheduled run from June through September. Concerts will be held on select Fridays: June 11, July 16, Aug. 20, and Sept. 10.
“We want to piggyback off of other events that happen here and work with people,” Bell said. “But we also want to do events on our own.”
Creating The Hub
Huss said they chose to create the space for The Hub around the existing decor that Dzugan had in place.
“(Dzugan) already had some of this done before we moved in,” Huss said. “We tried to play off it and give it kind of a barn feel, yet more industrialized, more modern. We suggested the bar and DJ stand. We wanted it to be super-sleek with clean lines everywhere.”
Showpieces of the interior include a vintage pickup truck with a still in the bed and The Hub’s logo on the doors along with a massive pharmacy display cabinet which dates back to the 1800s. That piece is owned by the Crestline Historical Society. The Hub also features “Edison bulb” lighting fixtures.
“We’re going to dress up the truck for each season so people can have a photo op there,” Huss said. “(The pharmacy cabinet) was a super-cool back drop for our wedding photo shoot. The Edison bulb lighting is super in, especially for bridal shoots.”
A glass garage door faces the gazebo in Village Square. Bell said they plan to build a fire pit on that side of The Hub.
“People really like that indoor-outdoor space,” Bell said. “Come spring, we’re going to build a fire pit that will be surrounded by cedar chairs. We already have the artists lined up for the summer concert series. With that indoor-outdoor vibe, people can be in here enjoying a cocktail or be out there listening to music. We’re going to invite some food trucks and things like that.”
Bell said her husband built a wooden barn door to conceal a rear garage door that was used for deliveries. It also adds to the feel of the decor.
While there is no kitchen, Huss said there is a catering area. They’re also in the process of creating a full bridal suite.
For information, go to The Hub at Village Square Facebook page or email [email protected]. Contact Vanessa Bell at 419-571-7853 or Alyssa Huss at 419-571-9044.
