178 South Main : A Past Worth Preserving
At 178 South Main Street in Gunnison, Utah, stands a building that has experienced several very different lives. Long before it became a place for weddings, community gatherings, businesses, and celebrations, the building was part of Gunnison's commercial Main Street.
Today it is known simply as The Bldg 178, a name that fittingly connects its identity to the address where its story has unfolded.
Gunnison Main Street
By the early twentieth century, Gunnison's Main Street had developed into the center of local business and community life. Historic buildings such as the Casino Star Theatre, Gunnison Valley Bank, stores, restaurants, and other businesses lined the street.
The building at 178 South Main was part of that commercial tradition.
Many older generations fondly remember this building as Christensens Dapartment Store. Later in the story, our current owner would uncover many items that were sold at Christensens. The Bldg 178 is truly a time capsule filled with many meaningful treaures.
Action Video
For many Gunnison residents, 178 South Main is probably better remembered by a much more recent name: Action Video.
The video-rental business operated at this address for years. Karen Wennerstrom Jensen, remembered locally as Gunnison's "video lady," owned and operated Action Video.
The store belonged to an era when going out to choose a movie was part of the weekend routine. Before streaming services made movies instantly available at home, local video stores were gathering places in their own right.
Eventually, that era came to an end.
Action Video closed, and 178 South Main sat empty.
A Building in Need of a New Purpose
By the time JoLyn Chappell took on the property, the former department store and video shop had deteriorated significantly.
Rather than seeing the aging building only for what it had become, JoLyn saw what it could be.
That restoration would eventually become The Bldg 178.
The goal wasn't simply to cover up the building's age and make everything look new. One of the defining characteristics of the renovation became the effort to preserve pieces of the old building while adapting it for an entirely new purpose.
Restoring over Replacing
Inside The Bldg 178 today, pieces of the older structure remain visible.
The building's hardwood floors were refurbished rather than simply discarded. Original brickwork was exposed and incorporated into the finished interior. Elements of the old structure were worked into the design of newer spaces, including portions of the kitchen and bathrooms.
It doesn't feel like a newly constructed banquet hall designed to imitate an older building. Its character comes from the fact that it is an older Gunnison commercial building—one that has been repaired, adapted, and given another life.
The renovation also went beyond creating one large event room. The property was redesigned so portions could function as professional office space while the larger areas remained available for gatherings and events.
Becoming The Bldg 178
By 2021, the transformation was far enough along that the new identity of the property was firmly established.
On October 12, 2021, the Six County Association of Governments held part of its Legislative Day at The BLDG 178. State legislators and regional officials were invited to the event, demonstrating that the building had already moved well beyond its former vacant condition and was functioning as a substantial gathering place.
It did not become only a wedding venue.
Instead, The Bldg 178 developed into a flexible community and event space.
A Place for Weddings- And So Much More
Weddings and receptions became an important part of The Bldg 178's new life. The large main hall provides room for ceremonies, dinners, dancing, and receptions, while the building's layout includes a bride's room, groom's or sitting room, grand-entrance stairs, warming kitchen, serving area, nursery, and five bathrooms. JoLyn had clearly thought through every need of her community and provided a beautiful solution.
But the space has also been used for family celebrations, Christmas parties, meetings, dances, conferences, memorials, classes, and other gatherings.
Its flexibility is intentional.
The main gathering area can be rearranged for different events, and the venue provides tables, chairs, audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi, and other amenities. Smaller rooms can be used independently for meetings, children's activities, professional services, and other purposes.
The result is something closer to a community gathering place than a traditional single-purpose wedding venue.
Our Community's Gathering Place
Over time, The Bldg 178 has increasingly become part of Gunnison's community life.
It has hosted regional government gatherings, family celebrations, weddings, dances, classes, church gatherings, memorial services, and other events. Gunnison City itself has used the building for official meetings.
The Building Today
The Bldg 178 now combines several identities under one roof.
It is a wedding venue.
It is a party and event center.
It is a meeting and conference space.
It provides professional and office space.
It hosts community events and activities.
And perhaps most importantly, it is once again an active part of Gunnison's Main Street.
The restoration preserved features that remind visitors that the building existed long before its current use while adding the facilities necessary for it to remain useful today.
Another Chapter
The story of The Bldg 178 is ultimately a story of redemption.
A Main Street commercial building became a department store. After years of use the building became vacant and deteriorated.
It could easily have remained that way.
Instead, beginning with the restoration led by JoLyn Chappell around 2019, the property was reimagined without completely erasing what came before it. New rooms and modern conveniences were added, and the large commercial interior found an entirely new purpose.
By 2021, people were gathering inside again.
Only now, instead of coming through the doors primarily to shop or rent a movie, people were arriving for weddings, meetings, dances, dinners, classes, celebrations, and community events.
The purpose has changed, but 178 South Main is still doing what a Main Street building has always done best: bringing people together.
The Bldg 178 Transformation
