On Wednesday, March 4, Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill held an opening ceremony for its newest addition to the restaurant: The Aspen Room. Sharing the same name as the street it’s located on, the Aspen Room is the result of meticulous planning and brainstorming in an effort to bring a touch of elegant southern hospitality to the area.
Jocelyn O’Neal, Big Mike’s wife, banded together with her two daughters to scour the local area for antiques and decorations to pull the room’s tasteful charm together. Together, Jocelyn and her team were able to refurbish and breathe new life into the decor, ultimately putting the finishing touches on the venue this past Sunday.
The room, which used to house a simple bar and dining area that was part of the main restaurant, was transformed into an aesthetically classic event venue akin to a secret garden tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Featuring delicate golden accents and ephemeral landscape paintings, the room’s decor calls to mind the image of an elegant tea party all set up and just waiting to be enjoyed.
A friend of Jocelyn who helped with the design process noted that the inspiration behind the Aspen Room’s existence was a desire to “create a space that would be welcoming.”
“That’s what we were going for,” Jocelyn added, “just a venue where you can come in and leave all the worries to us because we got it.”
During the ribbon cutting event, servers brought out samples of well-loved classic recipes with refined presentations such as small cups of perfectly grilled shrimp folded into creamy grits. A buffet-style table also held food for the attendees, featuring delicately frosted gold pearl cupcakes, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, an overflowing charcuterie board, gooey 7-layer dip with crunchy tortilla chips, and spicy meatballs on toothpicks.
Adult guests were invited to partake in raspberry pomegranate pink moscato and golden Opera Prima sparkling wine served in chilled champagne flutes.
“I cannot thank y’all enough for being here and supporting us today,” Jocelyn said during her opening speech. “I am so blown away.”
Big Mike’s has hosted many events, meetings, and banquets across its 16-year history, including regularly hosting the local Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club of Livingston Parish, and Business Boomers BNI. The support for the restaurant’s newest addition was clearly seen in the number of representatives for civic and business groups that attended the opening event.
Alongside Mayor Gerard Landry, members of the Chamber of Commerce, Bank of America, and the Livingston Economic Development Council were also present for the grand opening of this new event venue.
“We’re always excited to be a part of [Big Mike’s] growth, even if it’s from the sidelines cheering on,” a Chamber of Commerce executive noted.
The Aspen Room can host a variety of events, including baby showers, anniversary parties, receptions, and celebrations of life.
For anyone interested in hosting their next event at the Aspen Room, the venue can seat 125 people with options to book for either three or five hours, with additional time available upon request. Packages for alcohol and specific food menus are also available.
