Annëken Barn – Beizli Granary’s new and exciting life

It seems the old Beizli Granary has pulled a move right out of the Pheonix’s playbook.

The popular gathering place now has new owners and with that, a new name: Annëken Barn.

The property was recently purchased by Vankleek Hill business owners Ann Brosseau and Ken Guth, of Vankleek Hill Country Depot fame.

“Officially, we took ownership on August 22,” said owner and manager Ann Brosseau.

“We fell in love with Vankleek Hill. After putting our Grenville-sur-la-Rouge farm for sale, we started looking around here to see what was available. We visited a few houses, but I thought it would be great if we could have a place with a large kitchen and dining room to host conferences and the like.”

The couple were on their way back from St-Eugène after visiting a promising house when they spotted the old Beizli Granary property.

“I saw and said: ‘that’s what I want!’ Sadly, it wasn’t for sale,” explained Brosseau.

Being on the hunt for a new home, Brosseau was, at the time, receiving phone notifications when new Vankleek Hill property became up for grabs. A wise move, for a handful of days after seeing the property, destiny was at the door.

“It was almost eerie! I couldn’t believe it was for sale! I always dreamed of living in this type of building and this one was everything I wanted. With it’s dining room and a permit for alcohol, one can host more than conferences here,” said Brosseau.

The old and the new

“I want to celebrate the barn, so the decor is still country-western inspired,” said Brosseau.

Indeed, while some aspects of the barn’s interior were renovated, the look and feel of the place remain familiar.

“We do have a few renovations planned, like a kitchen overhaul. We also bring our goats to events, so people can interact with them. Goats are really ‘in’ right now,” said Brosseau.

The couple intends to host events at Annëken Barn. So far, three types of events are in the works.

“We’ll have private events, like birthdays, anniversaries or Christmas parties. We also want to attract corporate clients for meetings, training or strategy planning. Finally, we want to host events of our own making like live music once a month or even a comedy night,” said Brosseau.

Even though the couple only recently acquired the property, corporate events were already held within its walls and people have been booking their Christmas parties in advance.

“For us, it’s not just about the bottom line, it’s a labour of love. We want to create events that interest us and that will please the community,” added Guth.

People interested in learning a bit about themselves and others will also be able to attend one of Brosseau’s conferences. The expert on human relations plans on hosting talks on topics such has Personality Types and Generational Gaps.

A sold-out opening bash!

On the evening of September 29, 2018, Brosseau and Guth will be welcoming 60 people to Annëken Barn’s Grand Opening Bash from 6pm to 10pm.

At the time this article was written, tickets had been on sale for one week and were already sold out. For those wondering why a 60-people limit is imposed, the answer is simple: it is simply one of the rules that come with an alcohol permit.

“We know that selling tickets is new to this place, but we don’t want to lose our permit before we even get started. It’s a hard decision to make, but can you imagine this place without an alcohol permit? It wouldn’t work,” explained Brosseau.

Those present will be welcomed with great ambiance, company, food and music.

“We didn’t even get the chance to contact our families to sell them tickets. Most were bought by locals,” said Guth.

The future looks bright indeed for Annëken Barn. Much is in the works for the local staple – so stay tuned!

For those interested in knowing more or even have their events hosted by Brosseau and Guth at Annëken Barn should visit their Facebook page (@VankleekHillEvents).