Grafton event venue partners with restaurant group

Sandhill Tree Farm owners David and Jaclyn Ness pride themselves on attention to detail, and they say that will continue under a partnership with a Milwaukee hospitality company that aims to expand the event venue business in the Town of Grafton known for its restored 1900s barn.

As of May, Benson’s Restaurant Group is in charge of operations at Grafton’s Sandhill Tree Farm at 2323 E. River Rd. Until now, Benson’s operated primarily in Milwaukee, but Chief Operating Officer Chris Adams said the group was “blown away” by Sandhill’s barn.

“Grafton wasn’t a target area for us, necessarily, but it’s such an amazing space,” Adams said. “The barn is amazing. It’s probably one of the best barns I’ve seen and that we’ve catered out of, ever.”

On the flip side, Dave and Jaclyn said they were impressed by Benson’s attention to detail.

“They’re extremely creative, detail oriented, and they’re going to bring new, innovative opportunities out here to the farm,” Jaclyn said.

The partnership allows the venue to accommodate events on weekdays, which Dave and Jaclyn, who have jobs outside of Sandhill, do not have the time to organize.

“They (Benson’s) could do corporate events. They could do dinner and a movie. They could do table events,” Dave said. “Those were just outside of our scope, so that’s something (Benson’s) can really enhance, that we just really didn’t have the ability to do.”

Benson’s, a division of Marcus Investments, currently operates six restaurants in Milwaukee specializing in everything from Mexican to Italian cuisine. Adams said this versatility gives Benson’s catering customers options.

“Whatever the client is looking for, we’re able to achieve,” Adams said. “It’ll be a one stop shop. We’ll take care of everything from bar service to food service.”

Sandhill currently has 17 weddings scheduled between May and October, which have their own catering contracts. Additional events will work exclusively with Benson’s, Adams said.

He said Sandhill and Benson’s will offer event options at a range of prices to match the market.

“I think it’ll actually provide a more seamless, turnkey opportunity for folks to come out here, since Benson’s really can provide everything,” Jaclyn said. “It should be a very easy experience for an event or a bridal couple to book everything.”