Denise Black has worked weddings and events in Hawaii for more than two decades, including a stint at Four Seasons Resort Maui as wedding coordinator.
That experience came with a good understanding for the available venue options on her home island of Maui and when she was approached about making use of an old restaurant space in Lahaina, she immediately had a vision to offer an adaptable new event site that would help fill gaps in the market.
"The space is on the second floor above Lahaina Galleries, and there had been multiple restaurants there in the past but they just couldn't keep the businesses going. It might have been a little harder to draw people upstairs from the street, but it has an insane view from the balcony," Black said.
"As soon as I saw it I started the changes in my head. We can rip out that and put this in. I immediately saw the promise as an event and catering space."
That was in November 2016, and by February 2017 Black had agreed to take over the space as managing partner and convert it into the Lahaina Loft, a weddings and events venue on Front Street in the heart of the west Maui town. It took some time to get started on the work, but by summer restaurant booths were being ripped out and white paint was covering old dark walls. Most of the work was done by October for the grand opening, and the space was into full swing by the start of 2018.
They have hosted several events and Black is gearing up for their first weddings coming up in September. When designing the space she wanted to make sure to offer something flexible and new, she said.
"There are not a whole lot of options for events here unless you go to a hotel or in a restaurant, and people don't always want that." Black said. "They want an experience and a place they can make it their own. They want it to be 'my event.' When I created the space I said it needs to be a chameleon, it needs to be flexible. Instead of just sticking some rustic thing in a ballroom, we want it to actually feel rustic. The same for a super modern style."
The 2,000 square-foot, air conditioned space features an outdoor balcony with ocean views,
white walls, hardwood floors, large windows, and updated overhead lighting all on dimmer switches. There are three different ceiling heights across the space, and unique touches such as brick walls in one area and a molded, three dimensional wall evoking ripples in the ocean, that is illuminated with color-changing LED lights, making it easier to divide the room into distinct areas and customize it to a specific event style.
The Lahaina Loft can accommodate as many as 150 guests and events can last until midnight. Left over from the space's restaurant days is a commercial kitchen with plenty of room for workstations and kitchen preparations.
Clients are welcome to bring in any certified catering company, event coordinator and other vendors of their choice, or to choose from Black's recommendations. A professional event coordinator is required for use of the space.
"We're seeing a trend of events moving indoors to allow for more flexibility in decor and to eliminate the concern of over weather conditions," Black said. "We have a lot of wedding receptions starting to come in from couples that want a little more control, and they really want to be indoors but still have an ocean view."
Lahaina Loft welcomes weddings, corporate events, holiday parties and other private gatherings, and is also hosting personalized entertainment experiences such as private cooking classes with Maui chefs.
Pricing starts at $3,000 for a six-hour event with no more than 75 guests held Monday through Thursday, and $3,500 for an event between 76 and 150 guests. Friday to Sunday the prices are $3,500 and $4,000 respectively.