Roots of Brasil expands with adjacent event venue

The owners of Roots of Brasil are stepping into the event venue business.

They’ve leased the adjacent space at 201 N. Weber Ave., which previously was an event venue, and renamed it Oak & Olive Events.

“The decision to expand into Oak & Olive Events came from a desire to build on the owner’s extensive catering experience while seizing the opportunity to create a dedicated space for gatherings, celebrations and community connection,” manager Courtney Hardie said.

“They believe in bringing diverse groups of people together and wanted to offer a gathering space that feels warm and welcoming.”

There were no major renovations, but the new owners put fresh paint on the wall, updated lighting and adjusted the mechanics behind the bar to allow for ease of bartending.

The venue can seat 65 and accommodate about 100 people standing. It’s a good fit for showers, graduations, smaller business meetings, dinner parties and small weddings, Hardie said.

Roots of Brasil has the ability to cater events, but outside food also is allowed for all events. Roots also provides a bartending service to Oak & Olive and supplies beer and wine.

The name Oak & Olive is a nod to Brazilian tradition in which children inherit both their paternal and maternal surnames — “a reflection of deep respect for family heritage,” Hardie said.

“When the family’s matriarch, Tania, was born, she was given the name Tania Carvalho de Oliveira. ‘Carvalho’ came from her mother’s family, and ‘Oliveira’ from her father’s. Translated, Carvalho means Oak and Oliveira means Olive.”

These names carry powerful symbolism, she added — the oak representing strength and endurance, and the olive symbolizing peace, resilience and legacy.

“As the original Brazilian roots of the family, Tania’s heritage is the foundation of everything they’ve built. When the family created their restaurant, Roots of Brasil, the name honored the strength and diversity of both sides of her lineage,” Hardie said.

“Now, that legacy extends even further through Oak & Olive Events — a space that celebrates the unity, depth and cultural richness of the Carvalho and Oliveira families, brought to life through gatherings, celebrations and community.”

The space can be reserved through oakandoliveevents.com. The website lists available dates and information about add-on items such as catering and bartending.

“We have a pretty open availability as we’re in the early stages of promoting the space,” Hardie said.

“We also want to encourage the creativity of the community by coming to us with an idea that we can bring to fruition. We’re excited to be able to host the more commonplace events and look forward to collaborating with individuals on how to bolster our community and bring people together.”

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