A Columbia event planning company plans to open a Jefferson City location.
A-1 Party & Event Rental of Columbia rents items such as tents, tables, chairs and catering equipment for weddings, parties, carnivals or meetings. The company recently bought a building at 323 Midland Drive in Jefferson City and plans to open a Capital City location later this spring.
The 15,500-square-foot warehouse-style building formerly housed Central Missouri Tire, which moved into the building after its construction in 2004. A-1 General Manager Darrick Farr said the event rental company is in the midst of a renovation of the building. So far, the company painted the interior and added shelving to an area where an interior showroom will be.
"We're basically setting up almost everything we own in the showroom so people can get a real sense of how they can decorate a wedding," Farr said.
Weddings make up the bulk of A-1's business, he said. The company offers linens, tables, chairs, centerpieces, dishes and flatware for wedding rentals.
"Basically, they can come to us and get anything they need for a wedding or event," Farr said.
A-1 bought the building a couple months ago and has slowly been renovating the space, he said. The company hopes to open the Jefferson City location in March.
Farr lives in Jefferson City but works in Columbia. The company saw an opportunity to get business from Jefferson City and areas near the Lake of the Ozarks, Farr said.
Occasionally, A-1 has clients with events at the Millbottom or other Jefferson City event spaces, he said, adding delivery costs from the Columbia location can be expensive.
"We just see it as an opportunity to serve a population that we don't do a whole lot for right now," Farr said. "It should be cheaper since we're closer."