Wedding and events center in Albion celebrates grand opening

Maison Albion welcomed community to holiday party

The Glovers cut the ribbon at Maison Albion. They are joined by their son Benjamin, Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, left, and Darlene Hartway (right), the executive director of the Orleans County of Commerce. Mr. Glover put in four new columns on the building, finishing that job on Saturday. He will repaint them next year.

ALBION – Kerri and Cole Glover on Saturday celebrated the grand opening of Maison Albion, a wedding and event center with a French design. They used the grand opening to throw a holiday party, spread out over eight hours for groups of no more than 50.

They gave tours of the former Pillars, and gave people a chance to see a property transformed in the past five months.

“Orleans County has been great and so welcoming,” Mrs. Glover said in a tour of the house, which was built in 1878.

Mrs. Glover, a native of Maui in Hawaii, has worked 22 years in the wedding industry and has been a key leader in developing 13 other wedding venues in Hawaii, Colorado, California, Texas and Montana. Her brother, Michael Bolster, also is a part owner in the Albion site.

Mr. Glover, a seventh-generation Texan, was scouting the country for a site the couple could develop into a wedding venue. They narrowed it to 10 locations, and saw the most potential with the property in Albion, which they said can draw from the Buffalo and Rochester markets.

They have connected with many local vendors to put on weddings and events. The work from many of those vendors was on display at Maison Albion on Saturday, with flowers, interior design, live music, photography, food, desserts, a wedding cake, even a Gingerbread House made to look like Maison Albion, a mansion originally built in 1878.

The Glovers hosted Fête de Nöel, which translates to “Christmas Party” for the event on Saturday. Tickets were $25 and those proceeds will be donated to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

Michele Hughson and Lori Laine attended the party and gave Maison Albion a glowing review on Facebook.

“I would get remarried just to have my wedding here,” Hughson posted.

Hughson posted several photos of the decorations inside, which included nine Christmas trees.

“Thank you Maison Albion for opening up your doors to our community,” Laine said. “You have an amazing venue. The work you have done thus far is nothing less than amazing! We can’t wait to see more!!”

The bridal suite has many mirrors and chairs for people to get ready for the wedding.

The Glovers said they are at the first phase of their plan for the property. They will be doing more interior work, expanding the parking lot and developing gardens and a patio bistro.

The former Pillars was known by many for being featured on Ghost Hunters, when paranormal detectors studied the site for ghosts.

The Glovers said the house isn’t haunted. The Glovers live there with their two children.

“Some people say it is haunted, but we feel the opposite,” Mr. Glover said on the tour. “There is a lot of love in this house. We’ve lived in a lot of places and this is by far our favorite place to live as a family.”

Darlene Hartway, Chamber executive director, Praised the Glovers for connecting with many local businesses as vendors for the weddings and events. The Glovers have also led marketing workshops for local businesses.

The dining room had many desserts to sample during the party on Saturday.

The ballroom was decorated for an elegant dinner on Saturday. The ballroom seats 250, and a patio has room for 180 more.