Earl and Irene are together again in Charlevoix at the new event space, The Irene. Artist Irene Harsha Young was the wife of well-known Charlevoix architect Earl Young, known for building the iconic “mushroom houses” with undulating rooflines around the city. Both died in the 1970s.
The Irene recently opened in a restored downtown 1878 Methodist church. It’s partnering with The Earl, a boutique hotel just up the street that opened in 2020, to create the only full-service downtown Charlevoix venue-and-lodging combination. Edward Smith, general manager for both properties, notes the event venue was developed with the community in mind: not only as a place where people can gather, but also with the second floor devoted to providing affordable apartments.
The Irene accommodates groups of up to 250 theater-style or 150 seated. It holds a liquor license, with catering offered through preferred partners. Events Manager Hailee Arnold says The Earl does have gathering space, but nothing like what the new event venue makes possible. “It’s a whole new ballgame,” she says. Troy-based Hotel Investment Services manages both properties.
