Name of business: The Grand Oak
Type of business: Event venue
Location: 1450 N. Soderquist Rd.
Hours: By appointment
Contact information: 209-484-0353
Specialty: One-stop shop for venue, catering and sound
History of business:
After months of construction, a long-awaited addition to the Yonan family’s Turlock business legacy is open for business and ready to host some of the city’s most memorable parties: The Grand Oak.
The 12,000 square-foot event venue celebrated its grand opening Friday, inviting the community to experience the splendor of the brand-new facility. While the Yonan name is synonymous in Turlock with all things flowers, jewelry and travel, the family turned the former Turlock Turf Club location into an event space out of a desire to provide more venue options for those looking to celebrate.
“It’s a really big space. When you walk in, it’s jaw-dropping,” The Grand Oak manager and event director Angelica White said.
The local community and surrounding towns alike can book the venue for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and more, where a 10,000 square-foot ballroom provides plenty of room for dancing and the 2,000 square-foot terrace offers a tranquil, elegant space. Inside, six enormous crystal chandeliers and wood floors make for a classic yet modern feel, while the outdoor terrace’s fireplace offers a warm ambiance.
“It’s just breathtaking,” White said.
The venue features large televisions inside as well, which can be used to air presentations at corporate meetings or entertainment visuals at a party. The building also had livestreaming capabilities as well, so if guests are unable to attend a wedding they can watch from their computer at home.
The sound system and lights are inside of the walls, making for less clean-up time and multitude of options when it comes to the colors and volume of music for an event. White added that thanks to the state-of-the-art speakers, tunes can be blasted on the dance floor but played softly over the heads of guests talking at tables.
“If you want to join the party you can, but if you want to just sit and mingle you can do that and still enjoy it without having to yell to hear each other,” White said.
Those who rent the venue can also purchase packages that include everything from tables and seating to silverware and catering, if need be. The Grand Oak offers a choice from three caterers: Surla’s Restaurant, La Morenita and Skewers. All three were on hand Friday night to offer the community a sample of how an event at The Grand Oak would taste, catering to nearly 350 guests who stopped by to welcome Turlock’s newest business.
“It’s brand new and it’s gorgeous,” White said.
