Concert venue, event center coming to downtown Kokomo
Jul. 28—An old Kokomo church is about to be filled with song again.
The former Galilean Missionary Baptist Church, 507 N. Union St., will soon become Kokomo's newest concert venue.
The more than 90-year-old church building is being transformed into the Rhine Hall Entertainment and Events Center by Gary Rhinebarger, a Stellantis employee and local real estate broker.
Rhinebarger has driven past the church countless times. One of those days in 2021, he happened to see one of the church trustees standing outside and asked for a tour of the building.
It was love at first sight.
"It just spoke to me immediately," Rhinebarger said. "It said entertainment and event venue because of the balconies, the stage and the acoustics."
It took a year and half of convincing to get the church to sell the property to him, but Rhinebarger closed on the property in May.
Since then, extensive renovations have been undergoing inside and outside the church, including a major repair to a part of the building's roof that had recently collapsed. The pews have been removed and new flooring put in its place. The building's basement has also been extensively renovated to make way for a commercial kitchen that can be used to cater events or sublet out for use as a ghost kitchen.
Remaining are the balconies and the nearly 100-year-old stained glass windows and much of the building's charm and character. Those two aspects give the venue a unique feel.
"It looks a little similar like the Ryman Auditorium (in Nashville)," Rhinebarger said. "It's got a little bit of the modern and a little of the old all mixed together."
Renovations are expected to be complete this fall in time for the venue's first booked event — the Literacy Coalition of Howard County's comedy night, featuring comedians Dave Dugan, John Hannigan and a third comedian to be announced.
The venue also has booked a magic show and a New Year's Eve show featuring Duke Tumatoe, an early member of REO Speedwagon, with opener local band Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel.
Once complete, the venue will be able to hold comfortably 300 or so people for concerts. Given Kokomo's location between Nashville and Chicago, Rhinebarger hopes to attract some touring bands to play Rhine Hall.
"We've got some really good bars that have really good cover bands, but there's no place for a date night where couples can go for some good entertainment, maybe get a nice meal and a couple of drinks without having to worry about going to the bar at 10 or 11 at night," he said. "I'm hoping to fulfill that need."
In addition to concerts and other types of shows, Rhine Hall will also be open for charity fundraisers, corporate events, weddings, church events, one- or two-person plays and more.
A website and Facebook page for Rhine Hall is in the works. For more information, call Rhinebarger at 765-860-3758
Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.
