815 Event Space plans to move into the former Rent-A-Center at 6331 N. Second St. in Loves Park. The owner hopes to open their doors early next year. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — An event-hosting business is moving to the Meadow Mart Shopping Center to host gatherings and give residents a place to celebrate.

815 Event Space plans to move into the former Rent-A-Center at 6331 N. Second St. in Loves Park. The owner hopes to open their doors early next year.

Rockford native TaVanna Branch started her event business in February 2021 and operated out of her property at 4215 E. State St. for more than a year, but she has recently outgrown the space.

“We’ve outgrown that building in Rockford and we look to venture off into the Loves Park area,” Branch, 36, said. “We had a short lease, just trying to figure this out to see if it was something that would be successful.”

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Branch spotted the Loves Park property in January and filed for a special-use permit in February. The permit was approved by City Council last week.

Her plans for the new space are to host larger gatherings that she couldn’t in her Rockford property, which hosted predominantly baby showers, birthday parties and more intimate gatherings.

“We can accommodate up to 100 people,” Branch said. “This will definitely be a lot larger.”

Branch says she’s grateful to be able to provide a place for celebration in Loves Park and Rockford.

“I know with living in Rockford my entire life there are not a lot of places that are available for families and friends to come together to be able to celebrate different milestones that they have in their lives,” Branch said. “With that need being so large in Rockford and Loves Park, I felt that was something that I may want to tackle.”

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Branch works in human resources when she isn’t running 815 Event Space, but she hopes to make this her full-time job.

Branch is also hiring several managing positions for 815 Event Space, those interested in applying can reach out here.


This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent

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