Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Garrett.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jessica. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My parents have been entrepreneurs in the West Loop since the early 90’s. My mother, Cher Garrett started a successful Design & Branding firm, KGA, Garrett Associates, located on Morgan Street. My dad, Steve Garrett, had his photo studio in the same building. They also began one of the first on-line art galleries in the same building. For as long as I can remember, my parents have always been hard working creatives in the Chicago area. As kids, my brothers and I would always come into work and do our thing, either drawing with all the agency markers in the conference room or watching the designers work on client projects. My favorite was watching the illustrators draw Keebler Elves and Trix Rabbits for cookie and cereal boxes, which inspired me to go on to learn the design programs and become a graphic designer myself. As their package design agency grew, my mother always wanted to purchase a building in the area to house the agency. Although she looked at locations over the years, none were right until 2007 when she noticed a building with a beautiful 65ft. skylight on Lake Street, just a few blocks down. It was a perfect space for a photo studio with an office upstairs to house the design business. She bought the building and the family worked on renovating it for over a year while continuing the design and photography businesses. In 2008 they opened the space to other photographers for photoshoots, which led to people wanting to utilize the space for business meetings, social events, and eventually, weddings. The wedding industry embraced us with open arms and so much love. We became part of a larger family within the event industry. Loft on Lake truly has become a business of its own and a wonderful blessing for our family!
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been really smooth! My mom Cher is truly a genius with her strategies, and Loft on Lake’s success has been fairly organic with a little luck, hard work and help from industry people. In 2009 Loft on Lake received the highly prized award for “Best New Chicago Venue” from BIZBASH, an event industry authority. Since then, we have had so many wonderful events, met so many interesting people and made a host of strong friendships. We have learned along the way, have been growing our offerings, improving our operations and feel like everything is in a great place. My parents are both really kind people and like to educate young creatives, so we’ve been working with schools around Chicago to offer internships for these students to get a start and real work experience. Any intern is exposed to a multitude of different business functions, but most of all, to a strong dose of entrepreneurship and can-do attitude. Being positive, never quitting, and reaching past your comfort level are the examples I have been exposed to. Wearing many hats is also a way of life and so is the concept of “giving back”.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Loft on Lake – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Cher is really is the driving force behind all business, she’s been a prominent female business owner in the West Loop for over 25 years. She likes to say she is among the last of the “Great Ladies of the West Loop”. She saw Oprah start her studio around the same time, she housed her KGA Design business on Morgan Street in Sue Gin’s building for over 15 years, and she was friends with Ina, who also started her restaurant around the same time. She was aware of the neighborhood growth and trends and finally jumped at her opportunity. She and my dad gave life to Loft on Lake with the intent of having others, as well as our family, prosper and create memories in our intimate space. What sets us apart is that we are family owned and run. The exposed brick and timber beams make us the quintessential Chicago Loft space embodying urban elegance and West Loop original charm! Loft on Lake is a creative canvas, it’s turn-key and ready to transform for any special event. We have the easiest load-in and load-out in the city. Our double back doors are wide enough to fit an SUV, so we often host auto launch and research events. We also have a kitchen, allowing caterers to prep food on-site, and we hold many chef/food related events. On the photo studio side, we have been featured as a location in video and film productions.
What were you like growing up?
For me, I’ve always admired my parent’s skills and talents. I love how creative and different my family is compared to other families. My parents were always working hard to grow their businesses in such demanding careers and along the way we all were exposed to unique opportunities, exciting travel and big thinking. My mom set the example for me by starting as a fashion illustrator and going on to become President of her own design agency, (KGADesign.com) working with top tier clients. She was able to use leadership, organizational skills, and allowed herself to think so big. And my dad working side-by-side, was able to work on the same projects. They started with nothing, and have worked together as a creative team to this day. This has inspired me more than anything else, to become a Designer + Photographer myself. I have merged both of my parent’s trades and have come into my own, I graduated in 2013 with my BFA in Visual Communications. At Loft on Lake I’m able to focus on the design arm of the family business, grow as a photographer in the photo studio, run the day-to-day operations as the Director of Marketing, Sales, and Day-of Planning and Venue Liaison for Loft on Lake, all under one roof with my family to help. I am currently embarking on a creative portrait project, Regal POP Portraits. The photograph of me in this article was created in collaboration with Steve Garrett in Loft on Lake’s photo studio. Regal POP Portraits is an exploration of the modern day portrait/profile picture; experimenting with lighting techniques, film and digital manipulation, appropriating Renaissance portrait paintings and our love for Flemish floral still life’s – all incorporating design, photography and painting – with a Regal Flair.
Pricing:
- $900 M-F 9-5pm photo studio rental
- Saturday : $5,700 for a 10 hour rental (Reserved for Weddings)
- Saturday (during down season, Jan-April) : $5,200
- M-F, Sunday : $1,500 – $5,200 Rates are based on hours (4-8 hours) guest count (1-200) and event type
- M-F Corporate events : Daytime $3,000-$4,200, Evening $4,500-$5,200 (8-10 hours)
- NFP Discount $500.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 1366 West Lake Street
- Website: loftonlake.com
- Phone: 312-738-2437
- Email: jessie@loftonlake.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loftonlake/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loftonlake/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoftonLake
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/loft-on-lake-chicago
- Other: http://www.loftyweddings.com/
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