It all began with a wedding.
When Michelle Veverka Smith and her husband Greg were planning their nuptials, Veverka Smith’s father, Michael Veverka, who has been a woodworker for many years, offered to make the couple some harvest tables for their September 2012 backyard wedding in Saint Paul. Before long, Veverka’s new son-in-law began making tables, too. “Greg and I converted our basement into a wood shop,” says Veverka Smith, who was also painting furniture in their driveway and storing it in the couple’s garage.
The Smiths were running out of space, but not out of ideas. Veverka Smith, who has a background in design, saw a niche to fill. These on-trend, custom-crafted and locally made farm tables would be an ideal rental option for wedding receptions, large private parties or holiday dinners. With tables, you need chairs, so Veverka Smith began purchasing large quantities of fruitwood folding chairs to rent out.
In September 2014, Veverka Smith’s business, Rudy’s Event Rentals (originally called Rudy’s Rustic Rentals and named for the couple’s 90-pound yellow Lab) moved into a former CrossFit location on West Seventh Street. Veverka Smith transformed the space by adding flooring, new cabinets and more, creating a showroom which, in addition to the tables and chairs (including Tolix steel chairs, which aren’t available elsewhere in the Twin Cities), also features vintage china, lighting, furniture, linens and more unique inventory pieces—all available to rent for special occasions.
Veverka Smith classifies her boutique rental items as being “refined with a French influence.” “As an older bride, I noticed that so much of the wedding industry is geared to younger brides,” she says. “I wanted a look that was more sophisticated and refined, which is what appeals to me.”
Since launching Rudy’s Event Rentals, life has been in perpetual motion for Veverka Smith. She works with a host of event planners in the Twin Cities, who contact her for rental items, and has also found that social media—and word of mouth—has attracted individual clients. “In 2014, we did 87 events,” says Veverka Smith. “This year, we had done 141 events by the end of July and we’re already booked well into 2016.” Rudy’s employs three workers who are responsible for delivery, setup and teardown, but Veverka Smith is also on site for every event.
Veverka Smith has just about completed a significant project: photographing the entire Rudy’s inventory for the company website, making it much easier for customers to click on the items they want to reserve. “The look I’m going for is more like a catalog and less like a rental company website,” Veverka Smith says. She also welcomes clients to come in and visit her showroom; during the off-season (typically November to May), Veverka Smith plans to be open some evenings, on Saturdays and by appointment.
Furniture and linens are not the only things available at Rudy’s; Veverka Smith rents out the front section of her nicely appointed warehouse space for parties, meetings, bridal showers and other gatherings. “Guests bring in their own food, but we’ll have comfortable furniture, tables and chairs set. We also have all the china, linen and other items they need,” she says. If there are more than 50 people attending, the event hosts must work with a licensed bartender and caterer.
Greg Smith, who also has a corporate day job, continues to make tables for the business and, according to his wife, has the process down to a science now. “It takes him about three hours total, and each table uses 80 screws,” she says. “If I tell him on a Monday that I need five tables by Friday, he has them finished.”
For the couple, Rudy’s Event Rentals has also become something of a home away from home. “We entertain here a lot, which is fun,” says Veverka Smith. “I love working here, too. I’ll put on music, paint furniture and take a break on the couch. Sometimes it’s hard to leave.”
(Floral designs by A Day in Provence)
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Holiday menu ideas from popular local purveyors. -By Katie Hicks
The holiday season is upon us, and in addition to creating a beautiful tablescape, you might be looking for ways to enhance your menu. Here are some tips from longtime Saint Paul experts from Widmer’s Super Market and 1st Grand Avenue Liquor on what you’ll want to bring to the table.
What to Carve
Unlike Thanksgiving, when it comes to choosing a meat for Christmas or Hanukkah, the options are much more varied. Depending on your preference, the holiday season could be a time for filets or fowl.
Sean Geraghty, meat manager at Widmer’s Super Market, says their most popular selection during December is a rolled or prime rib roast. “We also do a crown roast, which is pork, and then of course ham and turkey, but our rib roasts are definitely more popular.”
According to Geraghty, Widmer’s meats are a cut above the rest. “All of our roasts are dry-aged for 18 to 21 days, which you won’t typically find from a big-name grocery store.” Geraghty says the aging process naturally tenderizes the meat, since no one wants a dry and chewy roast.
To add even more flavor to your meat, Geraghty says the store carries a variety of rubs. “Something new always comes up. Last year we had a rosemary, thyme and olive oil rub at the holidays that people really liked.”
For appetizers, Geraghty says the Hungarian sausage and Swedish potato sausages are popular choices. Widmer’s also carries snacks such as specialty crackers and cookies, as well as side dishes like cheesy potatoes and cranberry relish.
Geraghty says during the holidays, Widmer’s offers recipes for tips and tricks on preparing your meal. Other recipes can also be found on their website.
Widmer’s has been a St. Clair Avenue staple since 1958. As proclaimed on their website, it is “the place to go for the best meats in town.”
Choose Your Libations
When it comes to the holidays, alcohol is pretty much a staple. Depending on your choice of meat for the meal, there are a few ways to go in terms of liquor pairings.
Betsy Miller, assistant manager at 1st Grand Avenue Liquor, says turkey and ham go great with a white wine. She recommends Dry Creek dry chenin blanc ($12.99), which has hints of fruit and lavender. She also recommends a Viognier chenin blanc, which goes very well with salty and savory foods, Miller says.
For those who choose a darker meat, Miller recommends Phantom red wines from Bogle Vineyards, which come in a petite sirah, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and mourvedre. “It comes out every year in December and it’s my favorite red of the whole year,” Miller says.
If you can’t choose between a red and a white, try thinking pink. “Rosés from Provence, France, tend to be very dry and citrusy and really go with anything,” Miller says. “I think it would go nicely with a honey ham or salmon for New Year’s.”
For an after-dinner dessert drink, Miller says Rumchata is a popular choice at the holidays. The blend of rum, cream and spices can be easily incorporated into hot cocoa, eggnog and coffee. If you’d like to take it a step further, Rumchata can also be incorporated into cakes and puddings.
If you’re looking for something a bit stronger, Miller says pomegranate and cranberry vodkas are big sellers during the holiday season. The fruity liquor is a great base for Christmas cocktails, whether it’s punch or a vodka martini.
1st Grand Avenue Liquor has been at the corner of Grand and Milton Street since 1962. Family-owned since its opening, Miller says it’s the epitome of a “mom-and-pop shop.”
