A New Era for the Fairfield Building
A Venue Unlike Any Other in Fort Wayne
Upon visiting The Fairfield you’ll notice a timeless aesthetic and unmatched service throughout. Along with our incredible location, the detail and thoughtful touches around each corner are what set us apart from other venues. Our intentional process will make you feel as if this building was designed just for you and your event.
The Fairfield is a building for all occasions. You can celebrate your wedding upstairs and come back for your anniversary celebration on one of the lower floors of golf or bowling! We’d be honored to be a part of your ongoing story.
The People Behind The Fairfield
Our Owners’ Story
Before the current owners purchased The Fairfield, it was in great disarray. For years the building sat empty, until finally one day, while touring the building, it clicked — weddings and events! After that first initial tour, they knew in their hearts they had to find a way to take this beautiful historic building and bring it back to life. And so began the journey of The Fairfield.
Kelly Geiser, Venue Director
Kelly Geiser is a wedding coordinator, nonprofit organization and corporate event consultant. She’s also a coach to event-centric industry professionals. With a strong focus on decor planning and execution, venue management, and individual event coordination, Kelly has over 20 years of special event experience making events of all kinds come to life. Kelly has been featured in event publications and podcasts and is the preferred coordinator for many local venues.
Kelly owns and operates her own special event consulting firm, Four-Thirty Events. Being a part of The Fairfield’s foundation has been the ultimate privilege, and she looks forward to contributing to the story of every event The Fairfield is honored to host.
A Bit of Building History
The Fairfield’s story began in 1900, when it was constructed as the J.W. Kidd building. Along with his partner, W.M. Griffin, Kidd operated a medical and agricultural mail-order business. Then, in 1915, the business abruptly closed following the local postmaster’s discovery of a scandal within the business.
In the 1920s, Boss Manufacturing took tenancy to produce gloves and mittens. Based in Kewanee, IL, they are still in business today.
During the 1960s, a sector of General Electric used the building as a repair and distribution center. Over the next few decades, the building changed hands several times, hosting several warehouses and furniture stores. Finally, from the 1980s until the 2000s, Karen’s Antique Mall found its home here.
We are honored to continue this building’s history today.
