By Carla Slavey

What does a magnolia bloom mean ? Is it a symbol of southern-style hospitality ? An image of enduring over centuries ? Simply something beautiful to enjoy ?

Whatever a magnolia ' s meaning , those looking for a place to hold a wedding , party or business function might find their perfect space at the Magnolia , an event venue owned by Leslie Hart .

The Magnolia is located at 90 Southport Drive in Somerset , just off Parkers Mill Road . It ' s tucked back behind a row of other businesses that front U . S . 27 , and therefore might not be as visible as some of the other buildings on the main strip

The unassuming brick building also might be camouflage for the event space , as Hart said it started life as the old Social Security office .

But once inside , guests are greeted with a sleek , modern-looking space with a neutral color

scheme – perfect to dress up in the colors or style that suit the event being held .

Hart , who co-owns the building with her husband Ron , said the total space within the

venue is around 4,000 square feet . That includes the venue hall , two restrooms , kitchen / prep

area and storage areas .

The Magnolia has tables and chairs that can seat up to 120 , or can be arranged down as needed , Hart said .

The venue has hosted everything from

school dances and awards banquets , baby and bridal showers , weddings , birthday parties , retirement events , anniversaries , corporate functions and conferences , Christmas parties and quinceaneras .

Hosts can bring in their own decorations , or have access to options from the Magnolia itself .

" We do all the setup of the tables and chairs for the event ," Hart said . " We have table linen rentals if they want to rent our linens . We ' ve got various linens available . And if they rent the linens , we provide free runners . We ' ve got a variety of different colored runners . Centerpieces can be used at no charge , what we call our ' house centerpiece .' We have an awesome sound system with an iPad attached to it that you can create a playlist and have your own music . And we ' ve got a 65-inch smart tv that our clients are able to utilize if they want to do a slideshow ( or