How a 4 a.m. epiphany propelled a Peoria woman into the world of boutique events
The driving force of Sophia Jefferson's life came from some simple encouragement delivered by her late father.
“He always told me there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do," the Peoria woman said, "and to find something that makes me happy."
Jefferson holds two jobs, one as a certified medical assistant at Heartland Health Services in Peoria in the evening and the second as transportation supervisor at Quest Charter Academy. Shortly after her father, Robert Davis, died in 2020, she decided her professional plate was not full enough.
“When he passed away, I was feeling a little depression,” Jefferson said. “Then it came to me in the middle of the night … around 4 in the morning. I sat up in bed and told my husband ‘I know what to do!’”
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Jefferson’s 4 a.m. inspiration proved to be the Timeless Events Social Studio, and holding down two jobs did not keep her from acting swiftly on making it a reality. The business name was a partly tribute to Davis, who was an avid collector of timepieces and a believer in love’s timeless quality.
“He always told me time has no beginning and no end, and before he passed, he told me he would love me forever,” said Jefferson. “Me and my sister came up with the name Timeless not just because of that, but because when people come in, I want them to walk away with memories that last forever.”
'Walking work ethic'
American inventor Thomas Edison once said "Genius is 1% is inspiration and 99% perspiration." When Jefferson's brainstorm for an intimate, elegant events center arrived, it came to someone who was and is more than willing to supply the needed effort. Husband Willie Jefferson described her as "walking work ethic."
"She works for the school and she has her own business and she even helps me with my business (WJ Services)," he said. "She helps with some of the paperwork and the clients."
Touring available buildings with a realtor, Jefferson settled on a site that she described as "gutted," believing it to be the building that matched her vision. Extensive renovations followed, like new walls and flooring. Jefferson and her husband opened the venue in 2022. Their business model is to host elegant, intimate events at affordable prices.
“We’re very budget-friendly for what we do and where we’re located,” Jefferson said. “We’ve been told so many times we could charge much more, but we want people to enjoy their event and the elegance of doing it, without having it come out of their pockets so much.”
What does Timeless Events provide?
Located at 6816 Frostwood Parkway, Peoria, Timeless Events is a 1,200 square-foot boutique venue capable of accommodating up to 50 people. In addition to crystal chandeliers, complimentary wi-fi, Bluetooth speaker and a 70-inch flat screen television, Jefferson incorporated a further tribute to her father into the décor.
“I have a wall that’s dedicated to my dad,” she said. “There are clocks of different shapes and sizes. People are always asking me to explain my wall of clocks, and after I explain, a lot of them give me hugs.”
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Timeless Events is set to become a performance venue as well as a small events facility, according to Jefferson. Beginning in August, she plans to host a comedy series. Meanwhile, with Quest set to close at the end of the summer session, Jefferson is not content with working one job and running a business. Instead, she has enrolled in the radiologist assistant program at Illinois Central College, and indicated that she will also seek another job.
"I'd work three jobs, if I could," she said.
More information on Timeless Events Social Studio is available at timelesseventssocialstudio.com.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria woman inspired, passionate about affordable events planning
