Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Kaufman.
Hi Jackie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2021, my husband, at that time fiancé, Dylan, purchased the American Hall building as we were in the midst of wedding planning ourselves. Though we always thought a venue would be a great business venture and Millersburg would be the perfect location, neither of us has a background in event planning or coordination. Yet, as we planned our wedding, we realized this beautiful, historic building could be something really special. In the midst of COVID, delayed construction and materials and several other setbacks had truly humbled us and our impatience. From the time we purchased it and even now, we are still in the process of completing renovations. Our wedding was held there in April 2022, and we have made tremendous strides since then. We hope to be officially open end of 2023, early 2024, but as we have learned in the past, some things are out of your control, and it’s best to just go with it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As alluded previously, no, it has not been a smooth road but what start-up operation is? COVID, delayed materials or shortages, and everything in between truly caused some wrinkles in terms of timeline. As new business owners of something this magnitude, it has been stressful, exciting, frustrating, and awesome all wrapped in one. But hey, they say good things come to those who wait.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
American Hall Venue is located in Historic Downtown Millersburg, about 1.5 hours south of Cleveland and 1.5 hours northeast of Columbus. We are in the heart of Amish Country and less than 10 minutes away from Berlin. This area is known for its shopping, fall leaves, and comfort cooking. American Hall is a beautiful brick building that was built in 1870s and has had numerous businesses, including at one time a dance hall. Purchased in 2021 by Dylan Kaufman, it has been in renovation to convert the third floor back into a usable space to host weddings, parties, business events, and more. The second floor once housed law offices, a restaurant, and storage, is being converted to 4 loft-style short-term apartments. Though modern amenities have been added, many of the historical and industrial-theme elements remain present. The beauty of the building speaks for itself. In 2022, Dylan and I had our first wedding at the building, our own. We are more than thrilled to host other weddings, business events, parties, and gatherings for people to come and connect and make memories.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
A major reason this business has progressed to this point is my husband, all the people who he has connected with, those we have brought on to help, and family and friends. Millersburg, and Holmes County in general, is a fantastic place where people truly care about building other people up and wanting businesses to succeed. Building relationships is so important to Dylan and I in a personal capacity, yet I think that extends to our livelihood, this business and will help with the future of American Hall.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.americanhallvenue.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanhallvenue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089157967594
