High-rise pickup trucks and cowboy hats are no longer the norm at

Hunky Dory’s Night Club, which has been shut down after 10 years

of business.

The country-style dance club, 300 S. 17th St., is now an events

center named Hickory’s Hall. The building still is owned by David

Wheelock, who also owns Hickory Park Restaurant,1404 S. Duff

Ave.

He said the events center has been open since the beginning of

August, but he is still “sprucing it up some.”

Linda Dedecker, accountant for Hickory’s Hall, said the carpet has

been changed, the inside has been repainted and a few minor

lay-out changes have been made inside the building.

She said the decision to change the bar to a reception hall was

made when the manager of Hunky Dory’s decided to leave.

“The manager decided to change jobs,” she said. “It was just an

opportunity to be refurbished.”

Wheelock said the necessary renovations to the building also

contributed to the decision to close the bar.

“The building was getting to the point where it needed a lot of

work,” he said.

Hunky Dory’s closed to the public July 7 for remodeling. Since

then, Dedecker said the events center has hosted a variety of

events.

“We’ve held corporate banquets, teen dances and we are booking

a lot of wedding receptions,” she said.

Dedecker said the building can still serve students, even though it

is not a bar.

“[The building] is geared towards meetings, banquets and things

like tailgates for those cold football games,” she said.

Dedecker said it costs $1,000 to rent out the center for one night.

The rent fee also buys food and drinks.

Aimee Erickson, the new manager of Hickory’s Hall, said the

events center has done quite a bit of business considering it has

not done a lot of advertising.

Currently, Hickory’s Hall is exempt from Ames’ smoking

ordinance, but Erickson said that will not last. To be exempt from

the smoking ordinance, a bar or tavern must have less than a 10

percent gross sale of food.

“I’m 100 percent sure we’re going over the 10 percent rule,” she

said.