Popular Wichita event venue to close in part because so many other venues have opened

Not quite a decade after opening, Abode Venue is closing.

“A lot of people worked so hard that it’s just sad,” says Bill Jackson, the retired former president and CEO of Transitions Group.

The company started Abode Venue eight years ago after closing its Abode contemporary furniture store.

“But there comes a time when you finally have to make a decision,” Jackson says. “It just got harder and harder.”

A big issue, he says, was the number of other event centers that have opened in Wichita over the last several years.

Some years, the venue made a bit of money, Jackson says.

“It was so encouraging, we thought maybe a little tweak here, a little tweak there.”

Other years, the venue lost money, though not by a lot, he says.

“We’ve watched this and looked at this for a year or two,” Jackson says. “It was one of (those) things that we kept looking for any sign of hope that we wouldn’t have to do it. We finally realized we had too many other things that we should be doing that we weren’t doing because we were working on Abode.”

The last event will be July 31.

“We were very, very proud of what Abode did and what we did at Abode,” Jackson says.

He’s also the founder of the Douglas Design District and says he knows Abode is in a key spot within the district.

“It’s a great building, and it’s a great location,” Jackson says.

Through the years, he says he’s had potential buyers approach him about the building and knows there’s continued interest.

“I don’t anticipate it’ll sit empty very long.”

However, Jackson says he’ll take his time finding the next user for the property.

“We’ll make sure that we don’t jump to any conclusions. . . . It won’t be something that’s just a good profit.”

Jackson says he’s dedicated to the district.

“I’m very, very concerned about that area of Douglas.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 10:18 AM.