The last two years have been full of ups and downs for most business owners. No one knows this better than an event and catering company. Coming out of the pandemic, Five Star Event Services not only made it through the challenges and difficult times, but it has come up thriving.
Jason Lewis founded Five Star Event Services back in November of 2009. Located in The Mill District of historical downtown McKinney, it is a one-stop shop for all event services, including wedding and event planning, catering, staffing and rentals. Soon they will be offering wedding accommodations in McKinney. Like most businesses, Lewis was forced to close his doors when the pandemic first hit. He and his staff went back to work in June 2020, unsure of what lay ahead.
“We had worked so hard over the years to get to the position that we were at, and it felt like we lost everything overnight,” says Lewis. “Just like everybody else we were scared to go back to work as we weren't sure what we were up against.”
Lewis says at first, he had to adapt his business, continuing to offer the same services but in a different way. He and his team offered curbside essential grocery baskets and food trays to the community and delivered food to front-line workers in local emergency rooms. Then as mandates started to lift, he and his team transitioned back into event and catering services.
“Things were a little slow to start in the beginning and then it just exploded,” says Lewis. “We have ended up being busier than ever. Business has tripled.”
There are multiple reasons for the quick growth over the last year. Many of the restaurants that had been offering catering for weddings and other events were no longer able to handle these services. People whose events had been canceled due to the pandemic have been rescheduled. More people and companies are choosing to get out and host events again. All of these have driven business to Five Star Event Services.
Lewis said he took what he learned during the pandemic to do business differently. Bookings are now done remotely to help save time and make meetings more efficient. All orders and payments have moved from paper-based to electronic-based. A second location was opened to store and process rental items, allowing for an expanded offering to clients. Lewis also stepped into the role of sales manager, making himself the first contact with all potential clients.
“No one sells a business better than yourself,” says Lewis. “I am excited about our story and the creative leadership here within our company.”
Up next, Lewis will be taking his services and expanding into Wylie. He is working with Wylie’s EDC department on a five-acre project, which will include gardens with a new event center, community exchange, and restaurant complete with coffee baristas and wine sommeliers.
“I am so excited that now my followers will be able to join me on this new adventure,” says Lewis. “I think it speaks a lot to the business that I’ve built here in McKinney.”
For more information or to discuss your next event visit www.fseventservices.com.