JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- A 25-year Jeffersonville legacy nearly came to an end when Kye's closed its doors.
The event space was a community staple, and it’s reopening soon under new ownership and a new name: The Refinery.
“To keep this location as a place to host special events is what we feel is very important to the community,” said Alex Hunnicutt, co-owner of The Refinery. "Kye announced she was closing, I believe, in September 2018.”
The owner of Kye's and Kye's 2 retired last year and put the historic buildings up for sale.
“They were built here in the 1870s,” Hunnicutt said.
Hunnicutt and business partner, Paul Latham, now lease it from the current owners. They’re preserving the Kye's legacy and the memories inside by continuing to use it as an event space.
“We saw the listing for the old Kye's space, and we thought that they would probably turn it into office space,” Hunnicutt said.
The renovations will cost a total of $200,000. One of the biggest was removing the black and white tile dance floor and tearing up the carpet.
The Refinery has new furniture, new lighting, fresh paint and fresh ideas. The iconic Kye’s fountain was also removed.
“We really stress flexibility and freedom on behalf of the client,” Hunnicutt said. “So we allow them to select all of their own vendors.”
A dozen events are already booked at The Refinery.
The grand opening will be on on May 22 with an open house from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Click here for more information on booking events.
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