In the elevator-access-only, bottom level of the Flour Mill at 621 W. Mallon is an intimate, stone-wall room with an old world feel that’s been named the Chateau Rive. Occupying around 5,200 square feet of space, the Chateau Rive is an event center owned by Vincent Bozzi, who owns Bozzi Media as well as Chocolate Apothecary, a retail shop also located in the Flour Mill.

Three years ago, Bozzi says he learned the underused space in the Flour Mill that was available to lease. Since Bozzi Media holds many events throughout the year, he says he thought he’d purchase the space as a venue to host such events, which in turn would pay the rent. He says he could envision from there how to profit from the event center. 

Now, Chateau Rive, which loosely translates to “castle by the river” in French, holds an average of 10 events per month, says Bozzi. He says the kinds of gatherings vary, and only around one of every 10 events held there will be for his company. 

Initially, Bozzi says, he figured that holding two or three events per month at the Chateau Rive would be adequate, but he was unsure how else he could use the space, and his events manager at Bozzi Media was busy enough with the company’s own happenings to take on an entire new venue that could possibly hold more events than just the company’s own. 

And so, Bob Adolfson came into the picture. Bozzi says he has worked with Adolfson, owner of Glover Mansion Events and Red Rock Catering, for his company’s events, and used to rent out venues from Adolfson. Bozzi says he decided to use Adolfson and Red Rock as the Chateau Rive’s exclusive caterer and to help with event planning. Money made from catering events goes to Adolfson, and the money made from renting the venue goes to Bozzi, he says. Chateau Rive doesn’t have any employees. Instead, Bozzi, says, his staff of 14 people at Bozzi Media divide their time between the two businesses. 

Weddings often are held at Glover Mansion, and Bozzi and Adolfson soon found weddings would be the Chateau Rive’s breadwinner. The event center’s outdoor area near Riverfront Park that can hold around 250 people, coupled with the indoor space, has proved to be a prime location for weddings here, asserts Bozzi. He says that weddings by far are the biggest income generator at Chateau River, and most of the weddings held at the facility involve both the ceremony and the reception. Today, weddings make up two-thirds of the Chateau Rive’s revenue, Bozzi says, and only about 10 percent of revenue at the facility comes from Bozzi Media events. 

Weddings are seasonal, so the Chateau Rive will be booked almost every weekend through the summer for weddings, but come winter, the number of couples wanting to tie the knot tends to dwindle. 

So Bozzi says he’s focused on filling the “off season” with other types of events. In addition to weddings, the Chateau Rive has become a space for corporate events, business parties, concerts, and holiday celebrations. Over the past two months, for example, it has hosted nine concerts, Bozzi says.

 Finding that balance, include hosting events of his own, has contributed to strong revenue growth at Chateau Rive, he says.

 “Every time we have an event, we get more bookings.” he says. 

Events from Bozzi’s company held at the Chateau Rive range widely. One recent example was the Inland Business Catalyst Magazine’s Women in Business Leadership Awards Breakfast, held March 18. Chateau Rive originally was intended to host mostly Bozzi Media events, which in turn would provide publicity for Chateau Rive, and as it has turned out through growth in the number of events there, Bozzi Media and Chateau Rive have proven to benefit each other, Bozzi says. 

Chateau Rive has proven to be a beneficial venture for Adolfson also.  

The two men both say they enjoy Chateau Rive for its individuality.

 “It’s a really unique space,” Adolfson says. 

The Flour Mill is around 120 years old, says Bozzi, and so Chateau Rive holds historical significance. 

“It has the cool factor of, ‘I bet you’ve never been here before,’” Bozzi says. 

Events held at the Chateau Rive account for about 10 percent of Bozzi Media’s total revenue, he says. That’s significant, he says, when stacked up against everything else his company does, such as the magazines it publishes, including Spokane Coeur d’ Alene Living and Inland Business Catalyst.  

Chocolate Apothecary, Bozzi’s other business, is a gourmet chocolate, cheese, gelato and coffee shop located on the top level of the Flour Mill.