Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Simonds.
Kelly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After twenty years in the restaurant business as Ron & Shirley’s Italian Restaurants, Ron Preiss and his daughter, Kelly Simonds, started catering their top quality food to St. Louis and the surrounding area. Known as Exclusive Catering for ten years, in January 2002, the name was changed to Catering by The Christy. As Exclusive Catering, we have catered over 20,000 events including beautiful wedding and event affairs, luncheon buffets, and through our Corporate Fare division, box lunches, both small and large luncheons and, picnics and barbecue gatherings.
The name change seemed to evolve naturally as the popularity of The Christy Event Center grew. Purchased by Exclusive Catering in 1997, the former Firefighter’s Banquet Facility was renamed, The Christy Banquet Center. Located in south St. Louis at 5856 Christy Boulevard, the event center is now one of the most beautiful facilities in the area and in demand for weddings and corporate bookings. Our off-site catering is operated from The Christy and, with the high recognition of the event center and the food served, the catering name was changed to reflect that recognition.
In 2012 we purchased another venue in O’Fallon, MO. That too is named The Christy. It has been a wonderful addition to our already flourishing business. That location has 2 beautiful rooms and can seat up to 500 guests when fully opened.
A variety of services is provided to our clients, including catering (both through our Corporate Fare division and our social catering packages), weddings, event planning, theme-based events, and fundraisers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our story has evolved very nicely through the years. We have grown in a fashion that has enabled us to grow professionally at the same time.
Driven by a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. We have consistently increased our market presence, added new menu items and services, and built strong relationships with clients and partners. This growth is a testament to our team’s dedication and our ability to adapt to changing industry trends.
Kelly Simonds and her husband, Richard became sole owners after Ronald Preiss passed in 2017. Together they are building and maintaining one of the top wedding venues in St. Louis. Having fun and enjoying our work has proven to be the groundwork of our success!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Christy has 2 beautiful locations which we improve upon each year to stay up with the latest trends. We specialize in being all inclusive with our offerings. One price per person includes your dinner, full open bar, china, silverware, linens and much more.
All food is prepared on site by one of our executive chefs. We make our own sauces from scratch, grind our own cheese and can prepare many specialty dishes for any guest palette. We are very proud of our recipes that have come straight from our grandfather from Italy. These recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, and we have been told by many that it is the best wedding food ever.
When you have your special event at The Christy, we treat you like family. Every detail is attended to and it is rare that a family member is not present at your event to ensure it is flawless. We have created a package that is not only affordable but includes all your needs in one spot. We do not believe that your wedding has to break the bank. And our packages were created to give you all you desire.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is achieved when you have reached your personal goals and have done so in a professional and honest manner, allowing you to be proud of your accomplishments and achievements.
Success is helping your employees be the best version of themselves and getting the respect they deserve.
Success is a combination of client satisfaction, consistency in food quality, and a strong reputation that attracts repeat customers.
Pricing:
- Affordable
- All inclusive
- Wedding planning
- Family Owned & Operated
- Clean
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Thechristy.com
- Instagram: @cater5856
- Facebook: The Christy
- Other: @kellypreisssimonds
