The Avacentre opens new location in Anamosa

The Avacentre is opening a new location in Anamosa next month, making it the third in a trio of Avacantres with locations in Solon and Cedar Rapids. “It has a high visibility rate,” said owner Matt Linn, of the center’s location at 23486 County Road E-34, which is visible from Highway 151. “The locale of Anamosa is really good, because it’s almost Marion east,” he said. “It’s in between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, (and) it’s close to Iowa City.”

Mr. Linn operates the Avacentres in conjunction with Brosh Chapel, which adjoins the Cedar Rapids and Solon buildings. The businesses may share space, but they have very different purposes. The Avacentres are less community centers and more “services of life” centers, said Mr. Linn, offering specialized service for events such as wedding receptions, baby showers, graduation parties, corporate events, retreats and holiday parties. “In our event centers, we usually take care of all the food and all of the beverage. For the most part, we take care of all of the event from the beginning to the end – set up, clean up, tear down,” he said, and the Anamosa location will be no different – except that it will operate as the first stand-alone Avacentre.

Housed in the former Lasso E RV building, the newly-renovated, “industrial vintage” Avacentre boasts 10,500-square-feet and will have a catering kitchen, large private patio, bar service, and two event areas – one small, one large – that can host anywhere from 20 to hundreds of people, said Mr. Linn. “We have at least six events (lined up) right now,” he said. “There’s been a lot of tours.” Pricing for events is geared for the “average person,” said Mr. Linn. “I would like for anybody to get a good value and have nice amenities and have it be continually used. Or (for) the people that don't want to spend a lot of money, (but) can still have a nice venue and utilize the space as it should be,” he said.

Plans to collaborate with other Anamosa businesses

The new Avacentre will add several new jobs, as well – one full-time position and approximately five part-time positions, and the event center recently joined the Anamosa Chamber of Commerce where the concept has received nothing but “positive feedback” so far. “They’ve been a great partner,” Mr. Linn said of the Chamber, and looks forward to partnering with other businesses in the area. “The Avacentre as a business has worked with so many other event centers. We’re not a competitor. We’re an ally and a friend…we can work as caterers for those venues and those places,” said Mr. Linn, mentioning Lubben Vineyards & Wines’ new wine tasting and event center currently under construction in Anamosa. “Our goal would be to work together on all services…we plan on working together with them (Lubben) to create new experiences,” he said, of The Avacentre’s future endeavors. The advent of the two new Anamosa businesses comes on the heels of the National Motorcycle Museum’s closure in September 2023, and the shuttering of J&P Cycles’ retail store in December 2023, eight years after its warehouse location moved to Louisville, Kentucky. "We're definitely excited for both of these businesses to open," said executive director of the Anamosa Chamber of Commerce, Blair Lawton, who mentioned that Lubben Vineyards & Wines products are already in Anamosa shops, and The Avacentre catered the Chamber's annual dinner in January. "They're already doing a good job developing relationships within the community," he said, adding that since both places will host events, it will be nice to have options that can cater to different-sized crowds. "Event centers come and go. But we've been at it a little bit longer. And we've learned, we’ve seen trends and seen economics and different things,” said Mr. Linn. “I don’t see an end to The Avacentre. I think it’s going to be something that will continue to go well.” No date has been set for the grand opening in May yet, but Mr. Linn says there will be a “series of events” leading up to it, culminating in an “Avapaloozea” that will feature different bands. To learn more about The Avacentres, visit https://www.theavacentre.com/.