ALGOMA – The pig is gone. Where a red, winged porker once emerged from under the peak of the roof, overlooking the rustic building and soaring toward State 42, now hangs a sign.

The sign signifies new life for the building that housed The Flying Pig Gallery and Greenspace for 13 years, but closed in 2016 — it has been reborn as a unique place for weddings, banquets and other special events.

Owners Stacey and David Vecellio describe The Grain Loft as an "event venue," and its maiden event is its own open house this Friday, with food trucks, refreshments and music.

The Vecellios, with some help from contractors, renovated the main building, three former cherry-picking cottages on-site and the garden area — a garden that once rivaled the gallery's art for visitor attention. They're striving to maintain the rustic charm, and Stacey Vecellio said she thinks previous owners Susan Connor and Robyn Mulhaney would appreciate the look and feel of the new business.

"I had been in the building a long time ago. I always appreciated the style and architecture," Stacey said. "It's great to see the building come alive again."

Their purchase of the structure — and the changeover to an event venue — came about through a meeting of desire and chance. For three years, the Vecellios have owned and operated a similar venue in Oconomowoc — an old red barn now called Cupola Barn. The couple's oldest daughter wanted to have a barn wedding, but had to find a venue several hours from home to make that happen.

Stacey and David were considering an expansion of their business efforts when they drove through Algoma on their way back from Door County last July.

"We drive up here a lot on visits to Door County," Stacey said. "We love the building. We were surprised to see it was for sale."

"We were coming home, saw (the building) and said, 'hmm,'" David said. "We were kinda looking for a second venture, saw it and thought it wold be a good opportunity. There's nothing like this in the area … we're pretty much just a half-hour from anywhere here."

The Vecellios finalized the purchase in November and set about converting the building and property. About 80 percent of their events are expected to be weddings, David said, with banquets, retirement and anniversary parties and the like making up the rest.

While most of the basic structures and layout remain familiar to previous visitors, some changes were made to allow The Grain Loft to offer plenty of options for event planners.

"Brides and grooms nowadays want to have a venue where they can create their space, create their dream wedding date," Stacey said.

The Grain Loft won't provide food — it doesn't have a restaurant license — but does have a liquor license for its full bar. Instead, it will allow food vendors to come in for events (a kitchen is available for use). That includes food trucks, which Stacey said are becoming an increasingly popular option for weddings.

"We provide the space, but partner with local caterers, restaurants, DJs," David said. "We thought, 'let's have something that'll boost the local economy.'"

The main room can hold 100 to 150 people, David said, with round tables covered in white and a long, heavy, wooden head table with a barn wall as a backdrop. Guests also can see into the room from the loft, which has seating as well. The capacity can be as high as 300 with the addition of a large outdoor tent. Stacey said the decor will stay somewhat consistent, so clients can concentrate on the rest of their day.

"We try to do this so when people come in, they don't feel like they have to decorate," she said. "Maybe just a few homey touches."

One of the upstairs rooms was converted into a bridal suite, which Stacey said provides a more relaxed place for the bride and bridesmaids instead of a mere changing room. It has comfortable seating, a small refrigerator and a window to the outside, and she said the wedding party can use the room throughout the day if needed.

"People can be here all day; nobody has to leave," Stacey said. "It's an event where you're here for the day."

Outside, wedding couples can take their vows under an arch made from natural materials in a space circled by a stream. One of the cottages will be converted to an outdoor beer garden, and another could be used for a suite for the groom and groomsmen if desired. A pond on the property might be used for events with ice skating in winters.

Stacey said the idea is to take clients' minds off of the detail work and let them enjoy their special day.

"It's not just about the wedding ceremony," she said. "It's about the whole day, the process, about a relaxed atmosphere."

David said The Grain Loft already has four weddings booked for this summer with other parties looking into the location. Because weddings usually are planned at least a year in advance, the Vecellios are offering a $1,000 discount for wedding events booked for this summer.

For Stacey, the idea of helping parties conceptualize an ideal day, and then allowing them to enjoy it, makes The Grain Loft a worthwhile venture.

"I fell in love with the idea of brides and grooms coming in and creating their own dream date," Stacey said. "We try to offer a location where every bride can come in and have her dream wedding at a reasonable budget."

FYI

An open house will be held at The Grain Loft event venue, N6975 State 42 (formerly The Flying Pig Gallery and Greenspace), just south of Algoma, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Friday. Food trucks will be on site, music will play and complimentary beer and wine will be served; a cash bar is available. For more information, call 920-487-8300 or visit grainloftwisconsin.com or "The Grain Loft" Facebook page.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Algoma gets a rustic event venue with The Grain Loft