This story appears in the April 2026 issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.
As the sales day winds down at Cactus & Tropicals, a well-oiled machine springs into action at the plant shop. On days they are hosting a wedding or another party in the spacious greenhouse, a team of employees quickly and precisely set everything up in time for the big event.
“It was really tricky going from retail closing at 6 p.m. to an event starting at 6:30 p.m.,” says general manager Kathy Harbin. “It took us a while to figure it out, but we have an event manager and he has specific people who help him. At 5:30, they know exactly what things can start to be moved around.”
Cactus & Tropicals is one of many Utah retailers that have turned to event hosting to supplement their revenue stream. In their case, it’s worked out well — so well that last year, they opened a new store in Midvale to join their Salt Lake City and Draper locations.
There are risks and rewards to getting into the event business. It can increase cash flow and attract more foot traffic to the store, but it also adds additional costs in labor and materials that must be recouped. For some Utah businesses, hosting events on the side is the perfect way to increase growth and create community — and now, they’re sharing their ingredients for success.
A dream team
Harbin says the most important element to consider is your team. You have to have people who work well together and are willing to be flexible and pitch in wherever needed.
Outside of immediate staff, Cactus & Tropicals has also built a “preferred vendors” list of caterers, DJs and others who they trust and have worked with in the past. Customers who are renting the greenhouse are free to use whoever they wish — but if they haven’t already selected vendors, the list can help set them up for success.
Harbin says that the way to make the space more attractive to potential customers is to have clear standard operating procedures and make the event as easy as possible for the hosts.
One of the benefits of using a greenhouse for an event is that there is often very little additional decorating needed because partygoers are already surrounded by a colorful array of plants, fountains and statues. “The space is already beautiful,” Harbin says. “If you just walk in here, it’s already set up, so there’s not a lot that needs to happen.”
Embracing the community
While some businesses go all-in on high-end events such as weddings, events at Neighborhood Hive have more of a community feel.
At the Sugar House store, two anchor tenants — The Bean Whole coffee micro-roasters and Olio Skin & Beard Co. — are joined by dozens of local artisans who rent shelf space inside.
Tiffany Rainwater, one of Neighborhood Hive’s four co-owners, says that renting the space out for community events has not only helped bring in direct revenue from rental fees, but it also introduces eventgoers to the local vendors inside the store.
“We’re trying to always have something cool happening in this space, because there are a lot of cool, unique people who have their products in here,” she says.
A smaller room off to one side often holds guitar lessons or yoga sessions, while the main floor has hosted everything from open mic nights to book signings to mushroom identification classes.
Sociologists have touted the emotional and social benefits of having a “third space” to gather outside of home or work. Rainwater says while some retailers are removing chairs and benches or otherwise discouraging people from hanging around, Neighborhood Hive has found success in being a community-centric third space where college students can spend an afternoon studying or parents can get a cup of coffee while waiting for their child’s guitar lesson.
“We’ve had some interns through the [University of Utah] that we’ve worked with and we’re trying to tell them to tell their friends to come hang out here,” she says.
A buzzing beehive
In Provo, Beehive Bazaar has hosted its own events for a long time and is now entering the rental event space industry.
The business has run the craft bazaar 2-3 times a year for more than 20 years, but always in rented spaces that were sometimes at the mercy of last-minute construction projects or other complications. Now they have found a permanent home in a renovated 4,000-square-foot space that the owners are also renting out for retirement parties, weddings, birthdays and more.
“We’re happy to have a little more security here,” co-owner Beccy Bingham says. “But there’s much greater risk, too. That’s the scary part. But you know, you’ve got to be scared every once in a while in a business you’re trying to grow.”
She says the amenities and location of the building itself have been key to booking events so far. The former tire shop is ringed by floor-to-ceiling glass doors that can open up in good weather for an indoor-outdoor event. It’s got colorful, artistically tiled bathrooms that Bingham says customers have fallen in love with, as well as a catering kitchen and “bridal room” where event hosts can retreat into their own space during the event as needed.
Bingham echoed sentiments also expressed by Harbin and Rainwater that it’s crucial to listen to potential customers about what they most want in an event space. Beehive Bazaar owners surveyed potential customers, particularly brides-to-be, and discovered that a great sound system was top of the list. So they had one installed by Rock the Mic, which has worked in famed Utah music venues such as Velour.
“They’ve done enough wedding events themselves as DJs that they knew what DJs would want,” Bingham says.
5 tips to turn your space into an event venue
While every business has unique considerations when deciding whether to hold events, these themes rang true for the owners of Cactus & Tropicals, Neighborhood Hive and Beehive Bazaar:
- Create an attractive space that people will be excited to use for a special milestone.
- Make sure you have the staff to pull off events as promised, even if an employee calls in sick.
- Provide an easy booking experience and clear communication throughout the planning process.
- Offer a great audio and visual setup, including a reliable, user-friendly sound system and projector.
- Have a plan to promote the space through community outreach and marketing.