Jam Handy

First time coming to this space for a wedding. It was so f*cking cool. I text all my friends with daughters to remember this place. I could not recommend it more

The Jam Handy is a fascinating venue where Nate and I attended a wedding recently. Located kind of in what felt like the middle of nowhere, there's not a lot of parking nearby but street parking is available and you may have to walk a bit. There is a small parking lot at the Jam Handy, but we weren't really sure if we could park there, even for the rehearsal the day before the wedding.The space is historic and you can read about it online, but it served as a sound stage for the Jam Handy Organization, which specialized in industrial films and filmstrips for General Motors and the United States Armed Forces. The venue itself is a bit rustic and industrial, and serves as a blank canvas for whatever vision you have for your event. In this case, it was a wedding with lots of beautiful flowers and floral arrangements and green plants everywhere. The bar when you entered was a great touch, and guests were able to have a glass of wine before moving to the ceremony room, which had a floral backdrop. This space was turned into the late night dance party area as well.There isn't much around this venue, so don't plan on a lot of bar hopping nearby before your event. In fact, most of the bars didn't open until 5 pm on Friday, the day of the wedding. The only other downfall of the venue was having to go downstairs to use the restroom. There is one gender neutral restroom on the main floor but it was occupied 99% of the time I tried the door. Just something to note for people with mobility issues, high heels, etc. I also noticed some uneven areas in the floors.Overall I had a great time at this venue and was impressed with how it was transformed from the rehearsal time to the wedding itself! Sometimes I think spots like this are a little too much of a blank space for someone like me, who lacks creative vision to turn a place like this into something really beautiful. However, with the right team and vision, it can be exceptional!

Came for an open house type event; it's a beautiful open large space with wood floors, exposed brick, skylights and a balcony with lots of green plants in a large front window upstairs. Out back is an alley to hang out in with greenery, and a few benches. There is no parking lot, but lots of street parking is available. It's just on the sketch side of the New Center area. I am pretty sure this is an affordable rental space, especially for prices in the downtown area. Be aware, though, the bathroom situation is a bit rough. You have to go downstairs into a basement area where there is a single old little bathroom. If I were having an event here, I'd rent a fancy port-o-potty trailer and park it in the alley out back. That would work perfectly. Overall, the way it was set up for this event was lovely; very urban chic. Photos turned out great. You could do a lot with the space.

Jam Handy is a pretty cool event space due east of New Center on Grand River. I've been to several events here, from conferences to markets to parties and competitions and they've all been great. The space is definitely rustic/industrial but it adds to its charm for sure. Love the history behind the building too (former home of a film studio that made films for GM, the U.S. Army during WW2, etc) so I'm glad to see the building being revitalized vs. continuing to fall into disrepair.Parking can be a little annoying during high volume events. No air conditioning so come dressed accordingly during summer months.

The Jam Handy is a hidden local gem-of-a-venue. The owner, Simeon, is very personable and great to work with! It was a piece of cake to work out the accommodations. A little hard to contact initially, as the website doesn't have too much info. I recently found out that the Jam Handy actually has AMAZING history attached to it. It's named after a guy named Jam Handy (surprise!), who was an Olympic swimmer in the early 20th century. He started the Jam Handy Organization to produce training films for the auto-industry! Later, the organization produced thousands of training films for the army in WW2.Now, it's a bad-ass event space. Hosting events from weddings, film showings, epic dance battles and more! There's a small parking lot and also free street parking on Grand Blvd. If you get the chance to go here...go!

Beautiful space. Our conference attendees were wowed by its uniqueness. The five stars goes to Simeon, who is incredibly accommodating and helpful. Everything was set up according to our directions.Note that it gets pretty chilly in the winter. There is a heating system but the heat doesn't completely disperse through every corner of the room. Also, the projector is unable to project very fine words, so make sure that your text is big enough on the slideshow!

Does anyone know how to contact the owner? I've been trying to look for any information but can't find anything online. Please help.

#DamnJamHandyIf I could describe my aunts overall wedding experience in three words, they would be horrible, deplorable, and racist! During the entire wedding they were walking around being intrusive. The day before the cermony, we came to decorate and placed a special made decal on thr floor for the bride and groom. When we arrived for the ceremony, they informed the bride that they removed it.Don't waste your time renting from #DamJamHandy they're racist and unprofessional.

Very nice relaxed-feel indoor facility and outdoor area. The experience was the perfect place for a perfect wedding. Shout out to a few companies that provided amazing items and services for the wedding... Detroit Dye House (beautiful decorations hand-dyed in Detroit) Traveling Chef Catering (cool set up with delicious bride/groom meal selections) Blessed Blooms Flower Shop and Gifts (gorgeous silk garland and teardrop falling flowers) Detroit Dye House https://www.facebook.com/brightlytwistedwonder?mibextid=9R9pXOTraveling Chef Catering https://www.facebook.com/TravelingChefCatering1977?mibextid=9R9pXOBlessed Blooms https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078713300183&mibextid=9R9pXONote: no air conditioning so prepare for those summer events

Awesome venue!! It's spacious and very clean. The dance floor was a perfect size . It had a different but nice atmosphere/ decor.