You may see a 36-foot bus cruising around town in months to come, turning heads with its Art Deco stylings. Wonder not: It’s the Stargazer Social Club, a new mobile bar and lounge that is hitting the streets for its first event next week.
The brainchild of married couple Loren Rothman and Toni Sicola, the 1981 Crown school bus was fully renovated to create a flexible space that could be of use for the many outdoor events in Moab—and particularly, for weddings.
“Toni has been in the wedding business for years,” Rothman said. Sicola runs Tangled Sage Event Artistry, which supports events with floral arrangements, signage, and other decor. “One of the things that we noticed about holding events in Moab is that a lot of the things one might take for granted are difficult here.”
The pair found the perfect bus that had been lovingly cared for by a collector, who was happy that the vehicle would have a new life. The bus was then professionally renovated in a distinctive style to Rothman and Sicola’s specifications.
After a long wait and a tough cross-country trek bringing the bus back to Moab from Florida —“She really maxes out at about 68 miles an hour,” Rothman said with a wince—the Stargazer is ready for action.
The two considered the gaps they saw in the event industry in their design for the bus: It has its own generator and a 100-gallon water tank for venues with no potable water. The interior of the bus is open, meaning clients have options to configure it to their needs: it can become a bar, a lounge area, or a bridal suite.
“We have our first event booked for next week, where the bus will be a bridal suite,” Rothman said, “and another booking where it will be part of a wedding rehearsal dinner at a campsite.”
“A lot of people come to Moab to elope, but maybe they are only hosting 10 to 15 guests. It might not make sense to rent out a whole venue,” Sicola said. “The bus, in addition to working with local venues, also gives those people an option to have a smaller party and live it up at a cramped campsite.”
While traditional wedding venues have their place, Rothman points to the “van life” phenomenon and an increased interest in elopements as influences on the bus idea.
The pair also are passionate advocates of the wedding industry as a significant contributor to the local economy.
“Sometimes it feels like the wedding industry is a little invisible in conversations around tourism and the economy,” Sicola said. “But weddings bring in hundreds of people at a time who stay for multiple days and spend a lot of money locally. It’s a really untapped opportunity for Grand and San Juan counties.”
“People who are planning an event who aren’t from here end up hiring companies from Salt Lake or Grand Junction,” Sicola said. “It ends up being much more expensive, and that money could have been spent here in Moab.”
Learn about the Stargazer Social Club at www.stargazersocialclub.com.
This local business column is made possible with the support of the Grand County Economic Development Department, which strives to create a diverse economy, support local businesses and improve the quality of life for Grand County’s current and future residents.
