The LocaL, June-July 2021

By Scott Berson

it was his wife who said, ‘Hey, show him the PopUptown Space.’ Originally it was with the mindset of expanding Bodega. When I went to see the space, I realized how good of a job Jason and his wife and Jacy have been doing in there,” he said.

He decided to take the project on, and also decided to give it a new feel, now rebranded as 1234 Events on Broadway - an “evolution” into something new while respecting the work that had gone into the business before. The space is an all-stop shop for any type of event.

“We’re making it simple, so people looking to book an

All Photos Provided By Jacy Jenkins, Electric City Life

A Place To Capture the Energy of Columbus

a splash of vibrant color on one of the hippest Iin,t’sblocks on Broadway. An invitation to come inside, join come together, be a part of something. It’s a place for

business and a place for art, food, weddings, or a simple brainstorming session. It’s 1234 Events on Broadway.

The space, located at, well, 1234 Broadway, is an event venue that lights up the heart of downtown. And it’s more than that - it’s a space where all the energy and creativity that flows through the city can gather. With a stunning interior and sun-streaming windows looking out to the vibrancy of Broadway, the event center can be rented for hours, days or months. Perfectly built to adapt to whatever it needs to be.

Cesar Bautista, owner of the beloved Bodega 1205 restaurant on 12th Street, took over the space this year after its original incarnation as “Pop UpTown,” cofounded by local entrepreneurs Jason Gamache and Jacy Jenkins, took a hit because of the pandemic. Bautista, always ready for whatever opportunities come down the line, decided to jump in. The idea originally came to him after he spoke to Gamache about how he was wrestling with the best way to host events in his restaurant.

“We did a Bohemian night, a flamenco night, at Bodega, and it was great, so great, we realized we needed more space. I started to talk to (Gamache) about it and LocaL

event can rent the space for hours, for days, for weeks, for whatever the necessity of the customer. We have tables and chairs of different options. If people need dishes, we partner with other local companies that will provide service to our customers, but we also have that inventory if they need it. If people want catering, we can do that as well,” Bautista said.

The location is a huge plus, especially with all the new hotels either open already or about to open. Golf carts can even shuttle people from hotels directly to the event space. “What we’re bringing is that small space for the city. We have the Civic Center and the Trade Center, and those spaces are wonderful, and also really big, here we have something that complements that,” Bautista said.

The space can be used for anything, and that’s the point. Students from CSU can use it for art projects or performances, and business leaders can use it to plan the next quarter. Restaurants can host a special event, or it can be a classroom for dancing or singing lessons. Bautista envisions people from Atlanta, Jacksonville and all over

the South eventually coming to Columbus and using the space for business events too - it is open to anyone who wants to get involved in the story of the city.

“We want to make it available to anyone that wants to be a part of Columbus, that wants to experience it. We want to make it accessible. We don’t want for people to say either ‘Nah, they’re too expensive’ or ‘They’re too cheap.’ We want to let people know it’s

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available. It’s a business, and we want people to be able to experience it for themselves and to have the opportunity,” Bautista said.

Part of that desire comes from a passion, which is inseparable from the business. From Bodega, to 1234 Broadway, to his military service, passion has always been the critical ingredient for the entrepreneur. A lot of what he does, he says, “is take this passion and use it when the opportunity comes to make the city better”.

“I’m telling you, it’s an honor, and a responsibility. I don’t plan to do things, I’m just ready for them, and when they happen, I’m ready to do things at the level that is expected. I take a chance. I’m more than honored to be a part of this momentum that Columbus is getting,” he said. “I feel the whole community backs us up when we have a new project. I’ve just been blessed that I landed in a place where the people that started this - the rebuilding

of downtown - were on track, so it’s easier for us to move forward. There’s a momentum you cannot stop, and either you become a part of it or you’re just a spectator.

If I don’t have passion for it, I don’t want it. I want to perform all the time.”

That support from the community, and the feeling that he’s a part of the momentum, pushes him to do his best, for his customers, for his business, for his family and for the community.

“It makes me feel humble,” he said. “But it also makes me feel committed.”

For more information on 1234 Events on Broadway, including rental quotes, call 706-366-0554 or send an email to 1234eventsonbroadway@gmail.com. To check out the space virtually, they have a Facebook as well as their website, 1234event.com.u

JUNE-JULY 2021