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On the corner of High and Paradise Street stands a historic piece of Pullman; a place of nostalgia for an older generation, though a place full of exciting new potential as well.

Almost two decades after it closed its doors, the former parsonage turned restaurant, was given a facelift when it reopened to the public as The Seasoned House earlier this month. It will be a multifunctional community space, recently renovated by WSU alumnae Sara Joplin and Daquarii Rock, for the people of the Palouse to adapt to their needs.

The building was constructed in 1892 as a parsonage to two churches previously on the property. The building then became the Seasons restaurant in 1970, beloved by long-time Pullman citizens as the site of memorable first dates, prom dinners, marriage proposals and more until it closed its doors in 2001.

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“It’s nostalgic for some people, kind of how they remembered it as,” Joplin said.

As a nod to the building’s past life, Joplin and Rock tried to make minimal cosmetic changes. They kept the original wallpaper used when Seasons was in business and painted the living room walls a cream color after they pulled out the former burgundy wood paneling. Joplin and Rock also installed new countertops and converted the kitchen to meet industrial kitchen standards.

The two said they want to make The Seasoned House available to community needs.

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Whether by cupcake makers or caterers, the industrial kitchen can be rented by the hour and is an affordable option for hobbyists, small business owners and people somewhere in between the two, Joplin said.

Joplin and Rock said they have big plans for the small building, and envision it maxed out to its 49-person occupancy for just about any type of the event: business meetings, nonprofit events, community cooking classes, birthday celebrations, yoga sessions, movie nights, pop-up dinner parties or poetry slams.

It even hosts “Wedding Wednesdays,” where couples bring their vows and can opt for a minimalistic wedding with up to 10 guests, The Seasoned House brochure stated. The Seasoned House will provide decorations, an ordained minister and a witness.

“[The Seasoned House] brings a little bit of that Portland fun and eclectic-ness,” Joplin said.

The next project planned for the house is the “Adopt-a-Stair” campaign, which will fund a new stairway nested along the hill leading up to the front of the home. Donors can contribute $1,000 to “adopt” or have a step named after them or their business or $500 to share a stair.

The Seasoned House has no investors or backers, Joplin and Rock said, and so the pair had to start from scratch, making personal financial commitments to see their passion project to completion. During the day, Joplin and Rock work at United Way and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, respectively. Rock said she even cashed in her 401K to contribute to the costs of renovating the home.

Joplin graduated from WSU with a bachelor’s in business in 2008, and Rock graduated with an master’s in human development. The two met during their time at WSU through the Rolling Hills Roller Derby Dames, and soon found out they worked well together.

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Their greatest challenge was the learning curve, the business partners said in unison. They had a lot to learn about finance, construction, marketing and contracts as they went through the entire process of renovating the home and starting a business, Rock said.

“It’s a whole new industry,” Rock said. “We asked a lot of questions and got a ton of help from SWEDA (Southeast Washington Economic Development Association) and became comfortable reaching out to people in the community.”

They received positive feedback from both the Chamber of Commerce and the mayor during an initial open house for the public.

Joplin is from Huntington Beach, California and has lived in Pullman for 12 years. Rock, originally from Vancouver, has lived in Pullman for 18 years and has two children.

Many of the decorations inside The Seasoned House, like the three mounted goat heads, the life-size dog skeleton, china plates and other knickknacks placed about, were found in Palouse antique stores, such as Lily Bee’s Consignment Shop, which is located just around the corner.

Now that the community has contributed to its facelift and reopening, The Seasoned House is ready to give back to the community as an intimate space to make new memories.

“We really loved the building and wanted to support the community,” Joplin said.