My name is Blake Harris, and I am a husband, father, business owner, & entrepreneur. Over the last 10 years I have built several companies from the ground up and designed a life that I can't believe I get to live every single day. Located just South of Overland Park, KS, I was born and raised in the small town of Louisburg Kansas, where fate would have it, I built my first business, The Haven Event Space. Alongside my wife, Abby, our son Lincoln, & our two (giant) pups Phin & Phiona, I have created "The American Dream". This is my story, and I hope that it inspires you to dream big, work hard, and NEVER stop pursuing what makes you happy.
Prior to opening my first venue, I worked in corporate america in HR as a recruiter for Zoom Video Communications & was also DJ'ing on the side to make extra money. Back in 2017 when I started at Zoom, no one knew who they were or what they did. On a normal Tuesday afternoon, I responded to a random inquiry on LinkedIn where an executive messaged me and said they were looking to start a midwest office in Kansas City. They needed a recruiter to help build it out and based on my background they thought I might be a good fit. I took the job, and I took a chance on the company, but little did I know that it was going to become as big as it did as fast as it did and change the course of my entire life.
I had a passion for creating environments, throwing parties, hosting people, and really going above and beyond to “wow” people at an event I was hosting. I loved playing with people’s emotions with lighting, sound, theatrics, and even scents to leave them remembering the event far into the future. I knew that long term I wanted to build a venue. There were a lot of incredible spaces in Kansas City but none that checked ALL of the boxes for me. Great getting ready suites, large vendor areas, indoor and outdoor party areas, waterfront, large private property, and DETAILS in every area down to the littlest things. I knew I would be successful if I just did it. Once I started making enough money in my day job for the dream to become a reality financially, I dove all in. Through design and construction, I sought counsel from other venue owners, all different types of vendors, architects, designers, and used my own personal experiences to curate a space that, in my opinion, was like no other in the KC area. It utilized high end technology, full service amenities, and checked ALL the boxes of my dream board.
The success of The Haven in it's first 12-18 months left me sleepless at night…because I knew I HAD to do it again. I wanted to open a second space, using everything I had learned in my first space, to elevate and provide an additional option for clients who were struggling to find dates on The Haven's calendar; due to our popularity and limited availability. After months of looking at several different buildings, the original post office in Ottawa, KS, built in 1913, came up for sale. The beauty, history, and character of this space was like nothing I had ever seen. A chance to own a piece of historic relevance such as this, was something I could never have dreamt up. It provided such a different aesthetic to what The Haven had to offer, but had the canvas to allow me to bring over ALL the same amenities, details, and function that made our first space so successful. After 5 months and over 6-figures of renovations, The Lincoln Event Space opened on Friday, March 15, 2024.
While creating two incredible venue spaces in the market seemed like enough, over the next year I went on to partner with a long time friend in building and creating a trucking company, which has now grown into multiple trucks that haul shipments cross country every day. As all the businesses continued to grow, the opportunities never stopped flooding in. People began approaching me with opportunities, because of the reputation my team had built. They were seeking mentorship, partnership, and even hope that they could follow their dreams like I had been. In the Summer of 2024, I went on to purchase 1890 & The Fields while simultaneously creating a venue management program to take over operations of existing venues from owners who are not interested in running the day to day of an event venue.
Our partnership with Melrose Abbey, a multi-million dollar historic downtown church, began in early Fall 2024. We run full operations, staffing, and events for the space and allow the owner to focus on other passions and dreams while knowing his investment is secure and profitable with my team. While my plate may seem full, my ambition, heart, and drive are just getting started. I look forward to creating a life, making a difference, and building a legacy for my family to follow for generations to come.
