The Knitting Factory Concert House Spokane, which is known as a venue for showcasing an eclectic array of regional and nationally touring performing artists, also has become a rental venue and service provider for local private events, says Annie Christy, event coordinator.

Christy says the Knitting Factory can provide space for weddings, corporate functions, holiday parties, theater performances, fundraisers, galas, and formal events for up to 450 people.

“We can do smaller events, like business lunches for 20 people or so,” she adds. “But 50 people is generally on the small side.”

The Knitting Factory complex at 919 W. Sprague takes up about two-thirds of the block between Sprague and First avenues on the east side of Monroe Street in Spokane’s west downtown arts and entertainment district.

For private events, the Knitting Factory complex can be compartmentalized into three different venues—the spacious main venue, the midsized District Bar, and the smaller VIP Lounge, Christy says.

The main venue can be set up in a variety of configurations ranging from a full banquet hall to a ballroom with a 3,600-square-foot dance floor, she says. The Knitting Factory’s $2 million sound system, with sound and light technicians to operate it, also is available with the main-venue rental.

The lighting and décor can be set up throughout the facilities to complement the theme for the event.

“It just takes a few subtle touches to transform the space into 100 percent your own,” Christy says.

The District Bar also can be set up with a small stage and a dance floor.

“If the event is for under 130 people, I recommend having it in The District Bar,” she says.

When not reserved for private events, The District Bar gastropub is open to the public 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Reservations are required to enter The District Bar prior to main-venue performances on concert nights.

The balcony-level VIP Lounge, which overlooks the main stage area, can be rented on nights that the venue isn’t hosting a show. Christy says the lounge is ideal for more intimate private events with up to 50 guests, including bridal showers and bachelor parties.

The VIP Lounge also is included in all wedding venue rentals, she says.

The rental fee for the main venue starts at $2,000 for 12 hours, and the The District Bar rental starts at $1,000 she says.

Costs for added services, such as catering and production, vary depending on the client’s preferences and budget.

For example, the chef can work with clients to design custom menus, Christy says.

“We work with what styles you like and all budgets as well,” she says.

Each of the rental venues is equipped with a full bar.

“We supply the bartenders so you don’t have to worry about a liquor license,” Christy says.

Christy, an Eastern Washington University graduate who hails from the San Francisco Bay area, says the Knitting Factory hired her last summer to head up the new private-events services.

As a member of the Knitting Factory Spokane’s management team, she also has advertising and marketing responsibilities.

“I do a lot of networking,” she says.

Christy says event planning meshes well with her public relations training.

“In public relations, you’re trying to put the client’s best foot forward,” she says.

Part of her job is to relieve clients of the stress of event logistics.

In the case of a wedding, for example, Christy coordinates the event floor plan and setup, acts as a liaison with outside vendors, and also assists with the wedding rehearsal.

“It sounds cheesy, but I like trying to make peoples’ best dreams come true,” she says. “It’s a good feeling to hear people say they had a great time.”

So far, the venue has hosted a handful of private events.

“We’re still getting it off the ground,” she says. “We’ve got more events on the books this year and next year as well.”

Clients don’t have to schedule their events years in advance, she says, adding, “If you know six months in advance, that’s our sweet spot.”

Most interest in private-function rentals comes from people who live in the Spokane area, although Christy says she’s working on wedding events here with two out-of-town brides-to-be. One is in Portland, and the other in Italy.

“I have no problem doing remote work,” she says.

Christy also is working on new local events for the Knitting Factory, which likely will include an all-ages father-daughter dance in late spring and a 21-and-over masquerade ball later in the year.

The original Knitting Factory facility opened in 1987 in the lower Manhattan borough of New York. The founder’s intent for the 2,000-square-foot venue was to weave together diverse genres of performing and static arts. That venue has since moved to Brooklyn.

The Knitting Factory’s other main venues are the former Big Easy Concert House sites here and in Boise, both of which parent company Knitting Factory Entertainment acquired in 2007.

KFE now is headquartered in Boise.

Knitting Factory Concert House Spokane is the largest of the KFE venues with a 1,500-person capacity for its main events.

While KFE is best known for its concert houses, the company also operates the Federal Bar Gastro Pub in North Hollywood, manages emerging recording artists, and is a partner in Partisan and Knitting Factory Records.

Each Knitting Factory Concert House builds relationships within the hospitality community, Christy asserts.

Here, the Knitting Factory has relationships with the nearby Montvale Hotel and the Hotel Ruby, both of which are within a block of the venue.

GVD Hospitality Management Services Inc. owns the hotels.

The Knitting Factory also does some cross promotions with the neighboring Bing Crosby Theater, another GVD property.