By Brad Ziegler
The new year brings anticipation and excitement for many small businesses, but even more so when it brings new ownership and management, as is the case with The Martin Event Space in Martin City. Eric and Rachel Long are the new owners of The Martin and even though Rachel has worked part time at The Martin for the past couple of years, she is now in charge, and she couldn’t be more excited. “I have had a lifelong dream of owning and operating my own venue someday,” Long explained, “and this is what I had been waiting for, for so long. It is truly one of those ‘the stars are aligning’ moments.”
Long was first exposed to the event business more than 20 years ago, working at a historic venue at Lake Tahoe, and while her career has centered around marketing and talent acquisition, she has always found a way to stay involved in events. “From planning corporate events, conferences, and career expos, as well as providing day-of-coordination services for weddings and other celebrations, I have been able to scratch my ever-existing event planning ‘itch’ for many years.”
She has lived in the Kansas City area since 2007 and was introduced to Martin City when she played volleyball at Volleyball Beach. She soon found herself enjoying the area’s restaurants and shopping options and found Martin City to be one of Kansas City’s “somewhat secret gems.” She only recently became familiar with The Martin after meeting Sidney Fish, the manager of the event space, and found it to be a stunning, yet affordable space for events of all kinds. According to Long, “This is not your everyday venue that looks or feels like the rest. This space has been an integral part of Martin City for over a century and brings so much character, but yet still has a very modern, chic look.”
Long does have some plans to put her stamp on The Martin and the services that will be offered there. She plans to make some cosmetic updates to the exterior of the building and will be converting the large basement of the venue into new groomsmen suites. She said that they have also updated and added to their catering menu to give their clients additional options and are increasing their products and decorations inventory. They have added in-house DJ services and expanded their package offerings, including discounted pricing for repeat events.
The Martin had been owned by Martin City Brewing Company owner Matt Moore since 2015, and he feels that the building is in good hands. “Rachel is as energetic as I’ve seen!” he said. “I am super excited for her and the fact that she is continuing to do what we intended for that space. She is keeping it a community space to make memories.”
While the event business is still rebounding from the impact of the pandemic, Long has seen growth in the business since she started with The Martin in 2022 and is optimistic about continued growth. “Between the changes to the building and our service offerings, interactive and robust marketing, hosting events that are open to the public, and bringing in groups to utilize the space during the weekdays (i.e. workout classes, small groups, corporate meetings), we look forward to growing The Martin Event Space for many years to come.”