Once upon a time a hard-working couple owned a hardware and lumber store in Sawyer…
And so, begins the story of Johanna and Drew Ytterberg and their one-of-a-kind Wedding & Event venue: not an old barn, not a temporary tent, and not a glitzy, impersonal newer building. Instead, a unique re-imagined space that offers classic elegance, but with a warm, beach town flair that appeals to today’s couples planning their big day.
It’s called ‘The Section House’, recalling a historical connection to the railroad and the visitors it brought to the area to enjoy all it offers.
The Section House. At 5896 Sawyer Road in downtown Sawyer, just East of the tracks and a few blocks from Exit 12 on I-94. Easy to get to from anywhere.
The Section House combines the best of the character and heritage of this special early 1900’s building with the flair and imagination that’s been lovingly added by the Ytterberg’s as they transformed the space to what it is today. That careful thought and imagination is apparent in every corner of The Section House.
- The highly flexible main room with its bright, airy feel, a built-in bar and seating for 200.
- The outdoor green space—the perfect spot for a memorable ceremony.
- The Loft—the cozy bridal suite every bride dreams about.
- The Green Room—where the groom and his crew await further instructions!
Johanna and Drew have created a venue that through both stark contrasts and subtle differences stands apart from the growing list of wedding venues in the region. They sat down with Moody On The Market to relate how The Section House came about. Johanna recalled the history of the building.
“Hardware, lumber, and then there was a coal yard as well, for decades. Then, we bought the building in 2012, and we ventured into the world of retail with Sawyer Hardware & Lumber for about 10 years. Then, during the pandemic we thought…‘You know…this is really hard! We felt like we kind of capped out in retail. It was just difficult to compete with those big box stores.”
Johanna told us it was time for a decision.
“So, we closed it! And we had been thinking for a few years now, ‘How cool would it be to bring an event space to this town—to Sawyer. Somewhere for people in larger groups to gather.”
Johanna said the pandemic was a catalyst to turning their dream for the old hardware store into reality.
“it was definitely like a labor of love and blood, sweat and tears and I think, ironically it gave us a good project to work on during COVID.”
How do you jump from the hardware and lumber business into weddings and events? Drew said there’s an interesting ‘back story’ there.
“We would have parties. We have 25 acres And so we would have these Labor Day barn parties with 150 people there. And we’d pull in our friends’ bands, because they were looking for somewhere to play. Nobody’s making money from this, it’s just a fun time with a couple of kegs and music. We just always had such a good time with friends, and we started to think, ‘Wow, I wonder if people would pay us to do that???’”
Johanna adds, “We thought that would be really fun because we had such a good time doing it and I think weddings and events are really the same. You don’t know the people quite as well, obviously, but you do get to know them, and by the time they’re leaving, you’re shaking hands and talking. When we see people from time to time we do feel like we’ve almost become friends with a lot of our wedding couples. It’s been fun. We’re enjoying this industry!”
The Section House opened its doors for a few weddings in 2022 and has been steadily growing ever since. Johanna feels they have carved out a niche that clearly differentiates the Section House from many wedding venues.
“We are definitely not the ‘barn wedding’ and we say that right up front. We’re more like an ‘industrial Modern’ atmosphere, but with like a cozy, intimate feel. Once people see it, they love it! it was really important for us to keep the integrity of the original building and the historic feel of it, because I think that creates a really cool atmosphere.”
Drew added that he’s not being critical of ‘wedding barn’ venues, but some don’t have air conditioning or heating, so couples are ‘rolling the dice’ on a hot summer day or a cool night in the Spring or Fall.
“One of the things that I am really happy about is that we have heat and air, which a lot of those barns don’t. I don’t want to take anything from the barns because I think many are beautiful, but it’s a barn. They don’t have air conditioning, so in July, when it’s 90 degrees outside and you have 200 people inside, it’s nice to turn the A-C down to 68 degrees here at the Section House.”
Johanna and Drew feel that Sawyer’s location and developing vibe as a beach town also plays into why many couples choose Section House for their reception. As Johanna put it, “I don’t think it hurts at all that Warren Dunes is right around the corner and the beaches are right here. Obviously, B&Bs and places like that are super plentiful around here, so there are places to stay. We’re definitely a beach town, and we kind of like to capitalize on that. We’re not out in the country. While Sawyer may be ‘country’ compared to Chicago, we’re not way out, like if you have to drive out to a barn. We’re actually just a mile from the beach and you can walk to three different wonderful restaurants. Sawyer has really gotten its vibe in the past ten years or so.”
The Ytterberg’s have found that their customers at The Section House are an almost even mix of locals and out of towners from South Bend, Northwest Indiana, Grand Rapids and Chicago. “We’re at like 50/50, but we absolutely love having local couples. Sometimes they’ve been to a wedding here, and they are from Saint Joe, and a year later, they book us for their own wedding! They’re like, ‘We came to our friend’s wedding here and loved it, so why not?’ And we, of course, love that. We feel so fortunate to be part of their story… this location, this town, we want them to come back!”
“In fact, we had one of our first brides that is now having her baby shower here. That to me makes it so fun to be a part of their world and call them friends, it makes it very easy for us to be accommodating to their needs when you like the people that are your customers!”
With space for up to 200 for dinner and more in other configurations, as well as on site parking, The Section House is suited for most events in Southwest Michigan, not only weddings. Class reunions, Celebrations of Life and corporate events can be readily accommodated with flexibility in space, decoration, lighting, catering and other considerations.
Johanna explained, “Classic Catering & Events of Bridgman is our preferred caterer. Brett Boyd sort of mentored us and we really appreciate that. He’s great. Everyone in the business knows him. He and his staff are passionate about their business and very fun to work with. We admire that!”
Section House also works with caterer Haunt of Hounds and bar service Beverage Specialists, also well-known in the wedding and event industry in Southwest Michigan.
Learn more at www.SectionHouseSawyer.com
Reach Johanna and Drew at info@sectionhousesawyer.com
