Personal Touch Dining, a full-service catering and event management company with nearly 38 years of experience, has taken over management of Coronado Fire Station Venue, bringing a new focus to the island\u2019s event space offerings. \u201cWe do full-service catering, but we also manage event spaces,\u201d said Tracy Zemke, Founder and CEO of Personal Touch Dining. \u201cWe manage Leo Carrillo Ranch and The Old Rancho wedding estate. We own Harbor View Loft. And now we also manage Coronado Fire Station Venue.\u201d<\/p>\n
The company stepped in to transform the space after years of uncertainty about its purpose. \u201cThey toyed with, okay, are we a bar? Are we a venue?\u201d Zemke explained. \u201cAnd so we came in, and we are focusing on it as an event space because really in Coronado, if you\u2019re not at the [Hotel] Del, not at the Marriott or the Coronado Community Center, there\u2019s not a lot of other options as far as event space is concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n
The transition came about quickly and somewhat unexpectedly. \u201cWe had gone and just seen the space, and all the stars were aligned, and the owner reached out to us and said, \u2018Hey, would you be interested in managing our space?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
After the Fourth of July, Personal Touch Dining began a comprehensive rebrand and renovation. This included painting, redecorating, redesigning the space, and launching a social media campaign. Zemke and her team are also in the midst of redoing the venue\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Personal Touch Dining can tailor its level of involvement in an event to suit each client\u2019s needs, whether more or less engaged. If a client prefers, Personal Touch can handle every detail of an event, including food, decor, and all other arrangements. \u201cIt\u2019s all under our umbrella, so we handle all the management, all the food service, all the bar service, all the coordination, rentals, decor, transportation\u2014whatever the client needs,\u201d Zemke explained. \u201cSo we can do as little of it or as much as the client wants. But our main focus is, obviously, food and beverage because that\u2019s our core, our focus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fire Station Venue now boasts a polished look to match its new role. Previously, the bar resembled a standard restaurant bar, featuring bottles on the back bar and registers situated behind the counter. The space now appears clean and fresh, with Zemke describing it as more upscale and versatile for various events. \u201cIt looks very different than it did before,\u201d Zemke told me. \u201cIt\u2019s no longer the bar look; it is very much an event space now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although this is Zemke\u2019s first project in Coronado, she and her team are eager to create a space that is both distinctive and authentically representative of the town. \u201cBringing more people to the island is really an important thing to really get this venue going,\u201d Zemke noted. \u201cEach of our venues is different based on the clientele, and that is kind of our business model, and if for some reason the space doesn\u2019t work for you, we will always help you find another space.\u201d<\/p>\n
The venue is designed to host a variety of events, including corporate gatherings, military functions and retirements, rehearsal dinners, weddings, and more. \u201cWe can do up to 150 moving style, 70 seated, so it really offers a lot of different options,\u201d Zemke said. \u201cOur biggest markets are corporate, military, welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, small weddings, and social events.\u201d<\/p>\n
Personal Touch Dining handles approximately 450 events annually, and the company expects the Fire Station Venue to become a hub for both locals and visitors. The company\u2019s origins lie in catering, which they also provide to the island, beyond their event space. \u201cYou don\u2019t really have that high-end catering on the island that can create anything,\u201d Zemke started. \u201cWe do everything from the casual buffet to the upscale cocktail party\u2026 from 50 people to 10,000.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since taking over, the team has begun booking events well into the future. \u201cWe inherited a few events that we are working through with those clients, and then we are now starting to book into 2027 as well,\u201d Zemke said.<\/p>\n
Accessibility and community engagement are key goals for the new management. \u201cIt has been great (getting to know this town),\u201d Zemke noted. \u201cWe love where we are at, and everyone has been so nice\u2026 And we are really looking forward to getting to know more people and being more involved in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n