How does a venue draw 250 guests to a Friday-night opening in the middle of February? By offering lots of drinks, treats, and fun activities. On Friday night, Chicago event space Hub Studio Loft hosted a grand opening bash produced by Pure Kitchen Catering and A Perfect Event, with help from other vendors that brought in everything from an indoor skating rink to beach-theme decor. Here's a look inside the evening.
The bash featured four areas, each inspired by a different season. The winter-theme area featured an indoor skating rink crowned with strings of café lights. The portable, synthetic ice rink was supplied by Clowning Around & Celebration Authority. Guests were invited to skate.
At a "Bubbly Bar," servers mixed sparkling wine with house-made rhubarb, cranberry, and orange bitters. Colorful streamers formed a festive backdrop for the bar. A Perfect Event handled decor.
Another station offered "Adult Snow Cones" by Jo Snow. The icy, boozy snacks came in flavors such as ginger with whiskey and strawberry-mint-balsamic with vodka.
Shirtless male models were stamped with temporary glow-in-the-dark tattoos that bore the event's hashtag: #HubStudioOpen.
Pure Kitchen Catering offered number of food stations with snacks inspired by global street fare. Items included mini falafels topped with pickled onions.
In the summer-inspired area, the Flower Firm provided flowers that evoked a tropical climate. The arrangements were placed on glass tabletops that were covered with sand and seashells.
The "summer" section also had a tiki bar doling out "Puka Punch." Guests sipped fruity, rum-based cocktails in an area decked with miniature palm trees, umbrellas, lounge furniture, and Astroturf.
There was also a Hot Toddy Bar in the winter-theme area. Guests could fill Pure Kitchen Catering branded mugs with the hot drink and bring the mugs home as keepsake gifts.
The event also featured a pop-up restaurant, catered by Pure Kitchen Catering. Guests made reservations as they arrived, and dinners were served to a new set of guests every 30 minutes. The four-course meals were served family style and offered items such as pimento cheese arancini paired with Lagunitas beer; curry kale salad with red grapes and roasted vegetable salad paired with white wine; and smoked duck breast served with red wine.
Toni Patisserie and Cafe was one of several vendors to offer sweet treats. Cookies were housed in old-fashioned apothecary jars on antique mirrored trays, and gilded and towering cakes were on display.
