Loft on Lake
Loft on Lake is a family-owned Chicago event venue in the Fulton Market District that rents a 200-guest urban loft with a 65-foot skylight for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and photo shoots, supplemented by in-house photography and photobooth services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Loft on Lake does
Loft on Lake is a privately-held, family-owned event venue founded in 2008 and located at 1366 W Lake Street in Chicago's Fulton Market District. The company rents a single 200-guest-capacity urban loft space featuring a 65-foot skylight, 20-foot oak timber ceilings with exposed bow trusses, warm peach brick walls, and gloss-finished concrete floors. The venue operates a horizontally-segmented business serving wedding couples, corporate clients, social event hosts, and creative professionals across weddings, corporate events, private parties, photo shoots, and brand experiences.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time venue rental bookings supplemented by in-house photography services. The company operates two wholly-owned photography subsidiaries — Lofty Weddings (wedding photography and videography) and Garrett Photographic (corporate and event photography) — both led by co-founder Steve Garrett and offered at preferential pricing to clients booking the venue. Additional revenue lines include photo studio rentals (with Grip and Pro gear available on-site), Lofty Photobooth rental, and access to the private suite and catering kitchen. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with customer acquisition driven by direct inquiry, website tour scheduling, marketplace listings (The Knot, WeddingWire, Zola), and earned media in wedding publications.
The company has accumulated an 18-year operating history, multiple industry awards (BizBash Best New Venue 2009, The Knot Best of Weddings 2022, WeddingWire Couple's Choice 2022, LUX Life Best Wedding & Events Venue 2019), and partnerships with sustainability organizations (Sustainable Events Collective, MUSE), the Randolph Fulton Market Association, and Choose Chicago. Operations are run by the Garrett family: founder Cher Garrett, co-founder Steve Garrett, and venue director Jill Garrett, with no external investors or parent company.
Loft on Lake firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Loft on Lake
- Legal name
- Loft on Lake
- Website
- https://loftonlake.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Loft on Lake is a family-owned Chicago event venue in the Fulton Market District that rents a 200-guest urban loft with a 65-foot skylight for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and photo shoots, supplemented by in-house photography and photobooth services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Loft on Lake industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Venue & Hospitality Services
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venue & Banquet Hall Catering (THAFAIAC)
Keywords
Where Loft on Lake is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Loft on Lake business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Venue Rental: The primary revenue stream is renting the event venue space for various occasions including weddings, corporate events, private parties, photo shoots, and brand experiences. Pricing is quote-based, requiring direct inquiry.
- In-House Photography Services: Lofty Weddings provides wedding photography and videography with special pricing for bookings exclusively with Loft on Lake. Garrett Photographic handles corporate and event photography.
- Photo Studio Rentals: The venue originally began as a photo studio and continues to rent the space for photo/video shoots, with Grip and Pro gear available for rent on-site.
- Photo Booth Rental: Lofty Photobooth rental services for events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Venue rental with custom pricing based on event type and duration |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Loft on Lake product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Loft on Lake rents an urban industrial loft event venue in Chicago's Fulton Market District, accommodating up to 150 seated or 200 cocktail-style guests for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and photo/video shoots. The space features a 65-foot skylight, exposed brick walls, 20-foot oak timber ceilings, and a fully equipped catering kitchen. The venue is supplemented by in-house photography teams (Lofty Weddings and Garrett Photographic), photo studio rentals, and on-site photobooth services.
Product overview
Loft on Lake is an independent event venue in Chicago's Fulton Market District offering a single physical venue rental product enhanced by a set of in-house and add-on services. The core offering is the urban loft space itself, with a 65-foot skylight, exposed brick, and timber ceilings, accommodating up to 200 guests. Supporting services include two in-house photography teams (Lofty Weddings for weddings, Garrett Photographic for corporate/events), photobooth rental, a private suite, cocktail lounge, a fully equipped catering kitchen, and photo studio rental capabilities. The venue does not offer a software platform, SaaS product, or API-based services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Venue Rental (Event Space) Rental of a Chicago urban loft event venue accommodating up to 150 seated guests or 200 cocktail-style attendees, featuring a 65-foot skylight, exposed brick walls, 20-foot oak timber ceilings, gloss-finished concrete floors, prep kitchen, wet bar, private suite, and cocktail lounge. Used for weddings, corporate events, private parties, photo/video shoots, and brand experiences.
- Lofty Weddings Photography & Video In-house wedding photography and videography team offering special pricing for clients booking the Loft on Lake venue. Led by Steve Garrett, the team provides documentary-style wedding coverage.
- Garrett Photographic Corporate and event photography and video services offered by Steve and Evan Garrett, serving events both at Loft on Lake and at external locations. Includes professional headshots, event documentation, and time-lapse video.
- Photo Studio Rental Rental of the venue space for natural-light photo and video shoots, including automotive showcases, fashion events, and brand experiences. Grip and Pro photography gear are available for rent on-site, and the kitchen is equipped for food photography.
- Lofty Photobooth On-site photobooth rental service available for events held at the Loft on Lake venue.
Quantifiable outcome
- Award-winning venue recognized by BizBash, The Knot, WeddingWire, Zola, and multiple wedding publications
Companies that use Loft on Lake
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Loft on Lake technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Loft on Lake partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sustainable Events Collective (formerly Chicago Green Wedding Alliance)coreLoft on Lake has been a member of the Sustainable Events Collective (formerly Chicago Green Wedding Alliance) since 2012. The venue hosts the Green Wedding Alliance's bi-annual Wedding Recyclery events and the Committed green wedding show. This partnership positions the venue as a sustainability-focused option for eco-conscious couples and event planners.
- Members United for Sustainable Events (MUSE)coreLoft on Lake is a proud member of MUSE, an organization focused on sustainable events. This membership reinforces the venue's commitment to environmental responsibility and connects them with other sustainability-minded event professionals.
- Randolph Fulton Market AssociationminorMember of the Randolph Fulton Market Association supporting the local business community in Chicago's West Loop/Fulton Market District.
- Choose ChicagominorOfficial partner of Choose Chicago, the city's destination marketing organization, helping promote the venue to visitors and event planners.
- Chicago AFminorHosted Chicago's first NA Day (non-alcoholic tasting event) presented by Chicago AF, a local non-profit focused on fostering alcohol-free connection. This partnership aligns with the venue's inclusive values.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Loft on Lake competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lacuna Lofts: Chicago industrial loft venue in the West Loop offering weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Directly comparable in architectural style (exposed brick, timber, urban aesthetic), capacity, and the same Fulton Market competitive set as Loft on Lake.
- The Ivy Room: Chicago event venue hosting weddings, receptions, and corporate events with comparable capacity (around 200 guests). Targets the same wedding and corporate client base as Loft on Lake and is a frequently compared option for couples seeking urban Chicago venues.
- Artifact Events: Chicago-based event venue serving weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings with an industrial-chic aesthetic. Directly comparable to Loft on Lake in target customer (couples and corporate planners), capacity range, and West Loop/Fulton Market-adjacent location.
- Morgan Manufacturing: Industrial loft event venue in Chicago's West Loop serving weddings, corporate events, and galas. Operates in the same Fulton Market corridor as Loft on Lake with similar urban industrial aesthetic, capacity range, and customer segments (couples, corporate, social hosts).
- Theater on the Lake: Chicago event venue operated in a landmark building along the lakefront, hosting weddings, corporate events, and private functions. Comparable to Loft on Lake in event types and customer segments, though differentiated by its scenic lakefront location rather than urban industrial style.
- Galleria Marchetti: Long-established Chicago event venue specializing in weddings, corporate galas, and social events. Comparable in customer base and event types to Loft on Lake, with similar offering of catering kitchen, flexible spaces, and urban Chicago positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Chicago Athletic Association Hotel: Iconic Chicago hotel with multiple event and ballroom spaces serving weddings and corporate functions. Comparable to Loft on Lake in targeting similar weddings and corporate clients, but operates as part of a broader hospitality portfolio with lodging, dining, and multiple event rooms rather than a single dedicated venue.
- The Westin Chicago River North: Chicago downtown hotel with substantial event and meeting space including ballrooms. Competes with Loft on Lake for corporate events and weddings in downtown Chicago but offers lodging, multiple F&B outlets, and larger event capacities as part of a full-service hotel product.
- JW Marriott Chicago: Large downtown Chicago hotel with extensive ballroom and meeting space serving weddings, galas, and corporate events. Comparable to Loft on Lake in customer segments but offers much larger capacity and full-service lodging, dining, and event production as part of a major hotel chain.
- The Drake Hotel: Historic luxury Chicago hotel offering event and ballroom space for weddings and corporate gatherings. Comparable in serving the same high-end wedding and corporate client base as Loft on Lake, but competes from a broader full-service hospitality position rather than a standalone event venue.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Loft on Lake social profiles
Digital presenceLoft on Lake financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Loft on Lake leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Loft on Lake subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Loft on Lake funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Loft on Lake M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Loft on Lake
What does Loft on Lake do?
Loft on Lake rents an urban industrial loft event venue in Chicago's Fulton Market District, accommodating up to 150 seated or 200 cocktail-style guests for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and photo/video shoots. The space features a 65-foot skylight, exposed brick walls, 20-foot oak timber ceilings, and a fully equipped catering kitchen. The venue is supplemented by in-house photography teams (Lofty Weddings and Garrett Photographic), photo studio rentals, and on-site photobooth services.
Is Loft on Lake a public or private company?
Loft on Lake is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Loft on Lake founded?
Loft on Lake was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Loft on Lake based?
Loft on Lake is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Loft on Lake make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Venue Rental is the primary driver. The others are in-House Photography Services, photo Studio Rentals and photo Booth Rental.
Who are Loft on Lake's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lacuna Lofts, The Ivy Room, Artifact Events, Morgan Manufacturing, Theater on the Lake and Galleria Marchetti. Broad incumbents are Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, The Westin Chicago River North, JW Marriott Chicago and The Drake Hotel.
Does Loft on Lake have an API?
No public API is recorded for Loft on Lake.
What industry is Loft on Lake in?
Loft on Lake's product category is Event Venue & Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAIAC, Venue & Banquet Hall Catering. Its SIC code is 7900.