Meet The Epting Family
Genuine Southern hospitality with a creative flair.
Lee Epting (L), Ashley Epting (C), Daniel Epting (R)
The Story Behind 1055 Barber
At the heart of 1055 Barber lies a story of passion, dedication, and community. Surrounded by the vibrant energy of their family-owned catering business, Epting Events, the Eptings all share a deep love for creating memorable experiences. After decades of catering events throughout the Southeast, here locally with The Hill and The Athens Cotton Press, this newest evolution has the quickest access, best parking and the biggest party porch in Athens.
Creating a space we love
Numerous evenings were spent verbalizing what characteristics make a great venue, only to realize that the answer was right in front of them - the 12,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor space next to the locally beloved Epting Events catering kitchen. Its potential was clearly evident. They eagerly took the challenge of repurposing the grand, yet underutilized, space into the 1055 Barber event venue. The Eptings are always looking for creative ways to solve problems, and the build out of 1055 Barber ended up being no different.
Purpose & Passion
In keeping with the revitalization theme, Epting Events worked with Habitat for Humanity to donate seven truckloads of unique treasures, décor, equipment, lighting, and props that were accumulated over 40+ years of throwing over-the-top catering events. The team was also able to salvage three dumpsters of recyclable metal to donate to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM). The donated items all played their own special part during countless parties over the years, and similar to 1055 Barber, we hope they be the basis for many more stories and memories to come. With the space cleared and the design team fully engaged, the 1055 Barber transformation began!
Revitalizing Athens
The creation of 1055 Barber was based on our experiences catering at various venues throughout the Southeast, including the Hill, Athens Cotton Press, and the Classic Center. Each previous party we hosted has provided its own unique insight into what lends itself to a successful experience. We carefully selected design features to make 1055 Barber unique, such as our configurable floorplan, our dedicated green room, ADA design, and an open-air patio. We’re proud of this venue and excited to share it with the Athens community.
