Restoring an old, historic building is a labor of love. It’s a challenge that sisters Courtney Stemler and Shelby Irick, and their husbands Chris and Nic, were eager to undertake.
“We had discussed owning an event venue for a while, sort of as a pipe dream,” Shelby remembers. Their dream began to become reality when Courtney noticed a for-sale sign in front of what was being used as a state office building in downtown Topeka. Intrigued, she and her husband, Chris, began to do their research.
They discovered that the building, located at 9th and Topeka Boulevard, was originally constructed by the Topeka Woman’s Club in 1925 and was the largest Woman’s Club clubhouse west of the Mississippi River. When it went up for auction in 2020, the two couples submitted the winning bid and set to work turning that pipe dream into reality. With their passion for event planning and community engagement, they saw the potential for transforming the space into an event venue.
“It felt like a shame for this landmark of a place to continue to be used as an office building,” Shelby said. “I was excited to uncover everything underneath, including the barrel ceiling in the ballroom, the ornate stage in the theater, a couple of hidden stained-glass windows, and the wood floors throughout. It was an opportunity to bring this piece of Topeka history back into the public eye.”
With these historical elements as their inspiration, they knew they had found the perfect venue space. They pictured wedding ceremonies in the Theater with a stage, balcony, intricate plasterwork, and nine ornate stained-glass windows. They imagined large receptions and banquets in the 1920s Ballroom, where guests would stroll over the original hardwoods, under the art deco lights and barrel ceiling. What was once the Topeka Woman’s Club living room, the Founders Room was converted into a speakeasy-style bar and lounge, complete with rich leather seating, lounge furniture, and the building’s original fireplace.
While they had never embarked on such an ambitious project together before, the sisters agreed on a vision for the space: to restore the building’s design, maintaining the integrity of the space and its original features. Most of what you will see in the building today reflects the building’s original design, which was an eclectic style by Frank Squires.
“We knew we needed to do some modernizing to make it usable for events, like adding bathrooms and adding back some kitchen space,” Courtney explains.
During this project, the sisters discovered hidden treasures and clues to the building’s past. They found a secret compartment with a drawing of a couple dancing in 50s-style clothing, as well as a tobacco pouch from the 1920s.
“I think the coolest discovery we made was when we found the proscenium arch above the stage in the Theater,” Shelby said. The arch was not shown in the original blueprint and had been covered by a drop ceiling for the office space. The sisters were excited to find the intricate arch so well preserved.
The architectural details share the building’s history. Each window of stained-glass was privately donated, honoring a woman who was in the Woman’s Club. The staircase was the backdrop for many grand entrances. “Being good stewards of the building was part of our plan from the start,” Courtney affirmed.
Many of the sisters’ style choices revolved around that mission. “The style of the building is free eclectic,” Shelby said, adding that the building’s old-world charm is one of the things that attracted them to it.
“Buildings aren’t constructed this way anymore,” she added. “We wanted to pay homage to the history of the building, but we also just love those breathtaking details and found that our guests do, too.”
Now, the future of The Beacon is a space for the community once again. Courtney and Shelby want to help people celebrate life’s big events between these historic walls. “We want to continue to serve our community by being the place they go to celebrate, meet, and gather. Everyone has a story to share, and we just like to be a part of that story.”
As they reflect on the renovation process, the sisters can’t help but smile at how far they’ve come. From navigating the challenges of the project – and each of them adding a baby girl to their families during the process! – to learning valuable lessons in perseverance and teamwork.
Today, The Beacon stands as a shining example of what passion, dedication, and a love for history can achieve. It serves as a beacon of inspiration for all who enter its doors.
To see the space, visit beacontopeka.com.
Visit CityLifestyle.com/Topeka to view additional photos from this article.
The 3-story brick building at 420 SW 9th St. was originally built for the Topeka Woman’s Club, in 1925. Frank Squires styled the building in a free eclectic design. It housed the philanthropic and social club’s events and was the largest Woman’s Club clubhouse west of the Mississippi River.
In the early 1980s, the building was purchased and converted into office space, which was leased to – and eventually purchased by - the state of Kansas.
The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The Stemlers and Iricks purchased the building at auction in 2020.
“BUILDINGS AREN’T CONSTRUCTED THIS WAY ANYMORE. WE WANTED TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, BUT WE ALSO JUST LOVE THOSE BREATHTAKING DETAILS AND FOUND THAT OUR GUESTS DO, TOO.”