While Stone Tree Golf and Fitness is closing and is up for sale, another business will operate at the location in Meaford, just outside of Owen Sound.
Trevor Schwandt has been Chef at the Stone Tree location for 25 years, and when he recently learned the business was up for sale and the food service was being closed down, he decided to start a catering service of his own.
Co-founder of Schwandt Catering, Miranda Miller says her partner Trevor Schwandt saw the closure as an opportunity to try something different.
Business owner Balnar Management of Guelph has put Stone Tree up for sale and has decided to get out of the food and beverage business.
Balnar also recently sold Legacy Ridge Golf Club in Georgian Bluffs to local owners.
Miller says the new catering service will lease the kitchen at Stone Tree pending the sale of the golf club.
She says the building is fantastic and Schwandt loves its kitchen, so for now, Schwandt Catering will be the exclusive provider of food services at that location.
Miller says it’s not clear what will happen when someone buys Stone Tree, but there is a 90 closing clause, meaning they can book events there up to 90 days in advance.
Schwandt will also be catering events around the Owen Sound area.
Miller believes there’s a market for large functions, saying food service business was busy at Stone tree, where she says groups of over 700 people were regularly served.
The event venue and food service can now be booked through Schwandt Catering by visiting their website at owensoundcatering.com or by email at miranda@owensoundcatering.com
>>>>
Schwandt Catering Opens Feb 1st; Will Offer Banquets at Stone Tree & Offsite
[Owen Sound, ON] – Trevor Schwandt, the longtime chef at Stone Tree Golf and Fitness, and his partner, Miranda Miller, are launching a catering company that will continue to provide banquet catering at Stone Tree and at venues in the Owen Sound area. Schwandt Catering has entered into a lease agreement with Balnar Management of Guelph to serve as the exclusive food and beverage provider in the Stone Tree facility, pending the sale of the property.
Weve been so busy in the food and beverage department at Stone Tree in recent years, with hundreds of events annually, said Trevor Schwandt, co-owner and head chef at Schwandt Catering. When we learned that Balnar Management plans to get out of food service and golf, we still saw an opportunity there to continue making good use of the commercial kitchen in the Stone Tree building.
The agreement between the two parties enables Schwandt Catering to offer catering service for meetings, parties, receptions and other events for up to 190 people in the Stone Tree building. The company will also use the Stone Tree kitchen as its home base for off-site events.
Where people have an outside venue booked, were able to confirm our availability for those events through to the end of 2016. Those who wish to book into Stone Tree banquet rooms should just be aware that because of the for-sale status of the building, we are booking 90 days ahead only, Schwandt explained. We felt that theres a continued need for this type of service and facility in Owen Sound and are excited to offer that, especially to those who have held their events here year after year.
Were pleased that Trevor has decided to make use of the kitchen and banquet facilities at Stone Tree, said Tom Beacock, a spokesperson for Balnar Management. Were a property management company and while weve decided to focus on our core business, were certainly supportive of this continued use of our Owen Sound facility.
Schwandts 25-year employment with Balnar Management at the Stone Tree facility (formerly Georgian Club) ends January 17th, 2016. His new business officially launches February 1st and is accepting bookings up to 90 days in advance for events to be held in the Stone Tree facility, and into summer and fall for offsite events
As part of the agreement, both banquet room bookings and catering will be managed by Schwandt Catering. Callers to Stone Trees front desk with inquiries about room rentals will be directed to contact Schwandt Catering at (519) 379-5992. Room rental fees will continue to be payable to Stone Tree, while all food and beverage sales will be conducted with Schwandt Catering. The sale of alcoholic beverages will no longer be permitted in the Stone Tree building.
Weve tried our best to contact existing Stone Tree banquets customers this past week, to arrange to honour their 2016 bookings as much as possible, but urge anyone with questions to reach out to us, said Miranda Miller, co-owner of Schwandt Catering. As Stone Tree shutters its own food and beverage department, were working with them to try to make it as seamless a transition as possible for customers. This business is Trevors way of continuing to do what he knows and loves as long as its feasible, and I think people know what to expect from his leadership in the kitchen in this new venture of his.
Interested parties can reach Schwandt Catering at (519) 379-5992 or by email at miranda@owensoundcatering.com. More information is available on the companys website at owensoundcatering.com.
