Building business on a Sunday afternoon

Fall expo gives venders a chance to meet new clients

From left, sisters Grace and Sue Tipton enjoy a burger and fries at Sunday's Fall Business Expo sponsored by The Thrifty Bride. The event was held at Windstone Entertainment Event Center. At right, Lan Tran, one of the center's owners, chats with the women while tending the bar.
From left, sisters Grace and Sue Tipton enjoy a burger and fries at Sunday's Fall Business Expo sponsored by The Thrifty Bride. The event was held at Windstone Entertainment Event Center. At right, Lan Tran, one of the center's owners, chats with the women while tending the bar.

 

Sunday's Fall Business Expo was a chance for area residents to browse among 32 local businesses all inside the same large room, collect freebies and have a chance to win raffle prizes from some of the vendors.

Christel Boone, owner of The Thrifty Bride, organized the event held at Windstone Entertainment Event Center on Industrial Drive.

"We want to keep the commerce here in Jefferson City, instead of having people go online or to St. Louis or Kansas City," she said.

Sisters Grace and Sue Tipton of Jefferson City were enjoying burgers, fries and Cokes at the bar in back.

"It's nice," Grace said of the event. "It's a shame there's not a bigger crowd for the vendors. It's a nice venue and the food is good."

Boone has previously organized wedding expos, but this was the first time for a business showcase. In the future, she hopes to hold wedding expos in January and July and business expos in October and April.

At the last wedding expo, vendors gave away about $6,000 in prizes. On Sunday, there were plenty of giveways too, including a full-service wedding planning package being raffled by Elite Wedding Consulting.

Owner Scott Walker is a trained chef, who started the business after planning his daughter's wedding.

"I'm a one-stop shop for all wedding and event needs," including birthdays, anniversaries and other events, he said.

Julie Wilson of Jefferson City was trying on sweaters at LuLaRoe's "simply comfortable" clothing.

"I came because I knew there was going to be LuLaRoe (clothing), and I love LuLaRoe," she said.

Windstone, the venue for Sunday's event, is continuing to evolve and is starting to book more wedding receptions for 2017. Those events, co-owner Charles Stone said, are the center's bread and butter.

"I think we're the only place in town that can bring in 500 people," he said.

Also, starting in November, each Friday will feature a country dance class at 7 p.m., followed by a country DJ at 8 p.m. then the Windstone Band from 9 p.m. to midnight.