Looking for a party venue? Check out this chic new Belleville space
When Iesha and De Carlos Underwood purchased Bellevue Park Plaza in Belleville last April, they didn’t immediately know that an expansion of their business, Events at the U, would soon follow.
Each unit of the property on North 47th Street had a tenant. But soon after they took ownership, the tenant in 103 vacated the space.
The Underwoods decided to transform it into a second events venue.
The Grand U opened at what is now Underwood Plaza in December.
Iesha Underwood said The Grand U has the “same type of elegant feel” as Events at the U, which opened in July 2019. She said the goal is to continue providing an elegant and intimate setting for gatherings.
They did all the renovating themselves. De Carlos Underwood said the project included rewiring throughout the space (there was only one outlet), all new plumbing (they had to jackhammer the flooring), removing the drop ceiling tiles and adding sound insulation.
At the back of the space, two restrooms, one of which is compliant with the American with Disabilities Act, were installed.
At the very back of the building is the office, which includes a monitor for a live video feed overlooking the venue.
An upside of The Grand U is that it’s one story. Events at the U has two stories, and the second level is accessible by stairs only, which is limiting to some, according to Iesha. The new place is a good alternative for those guests.
The Grand U is also larger (2,200 square feet) and able to accommodate more guests. The capacity at The Grand U is 115 people. Events at the U can only hold 50 people per floor, which are 800 square feet each.
Upon entering the new venue, guests are greeted with an open space where they can socialize and dance.
To set the mood for any occasion, the space has dimmable lights, party lights, a fog machine, a wireless projector for slideshows and video presentations. Clients can hook up their own devices.
Clients can hire a DJ or provide their own music via a digital playlist.
The venue has its own speaker system that clients can plug into with any Apple or Android device at the DJ booth. Plug and play – good to go. It’s also convenient for hired DJs since they don’t have to haul in all of their own sound equipment/speakers.
The set-up provides a lot to clients. The Underwoods didn’t want clients to have to do too much to celebrate their occasions and “take care of as much of the decor as we could for them,” Iesha said.
The Grand U provides many of the same services as Events at the U.
While the Underwoods provide the setting and some amenities for a special event, the clients are responsible for providing beverages, ice, food, music and decorations.
Clients have options of six-foot tables with chairs, bar top tables — with or without stools — or a combination of both. Iesha said they recently had a cocktail party that was all bar top tables.
Decor for tables provided by the venue are simple yet elegant. Decorations are provided by the venue as needed, but clients are able to provide their own.
Standard table dressings are typically neutral in color to enable clients to add decorations in their own preferred styles without clashing with what’s provided.
There are also no catering restrictions, allowing clients to hire their own caterers.
One of the features at The Grand U is a kitchen prep area for setting up for food service. No cooking is allowed on site, but there is a warming cabinet and microwave. A full sink, refrigerator and plenty of work surface space are also available.
The Underwoods thought about everyone when they set up their new venue. It’s cost effective for clients and convenient for DJs and caterers, according to Iesha.
When asked if business is going well, Iesha replied, “Yes, it really is. I think it’s because people are really excited about getting out now.”
They can accommodate receptions, graduation parties, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties for clients 21 and older, business gatherings and other events.
“So far we’ve had a lot of weddings (receptions), graduations (parties),” said Iesha.
Iesha feels that a lot of their success with the two events venues is due to putting their customers first.
She said that she never looked at the pandemic as a permanent disaster and wanted to be prepared for when the economy came back.
With this business format, the overhead was low; there weren’t a lot of expenses.
After speaking with clients, Iesha realized that “during the pandemic, we were one of the very few venues that gave refunds.”
It may not have been good financially for the Underwoods, but eventually it paid off.
People who booked events with the Underwoods and canceled due to the pandemic came back. And they brought a lot of family and friends with them.
“The last thing we want to do is keep money” while providing no service, said Iesha.
The Grand U is located in Underwood Plaza at 103 N. 47th St. in Belleville. To book an event, schedule a tour or for more info, call 618-570-2669 or visit eventsattheu.com.
This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
