We were lucky to catch up with Mary Duncan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mary, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

Pine Haven Venue will build a long-lasting relationship with the community in the Black Hills area, to support the needs of future couples and businesses looking for an event space. We want our guests to feel at home every time the step foot onto our property and want to be remembered as a place that life-long memories have been created and shared. Our goal with every client is to ensure that they indeed achieve THEIR perfect day, and that the connections made between staff and clients will remain throughout time.

Mary, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Pine Haven Venue & Lodging is primarily a wedding venue, but is a space you can rent for any and all events ranging from family reunions to graduation parties, ect. Pine Haven offers central air/heat, large indoor restrooms, a bridal suite + groomsmen quarters, a fully equipped prep kitchen, patio seating + fire pits, and a full liquor license. We offer a custom-built honeymoon cabin that is included with each wedding package. This cabin features upscale amenities such as a memory foam king bed, double-headed shower, electric fireplace, and a private back porch. Our event space, cabins & RV sites are situated at the base of Storm Mountain on 19 acres of the Black Hills National Forest.
The growth we have seen from when we opened in 2023, too now, is immeasurable, and we couldn’t be more thankful to our clients for trusting us to host their events. We are so proud to be apart of this industry that feels like a family, and to be located in such a breathtaking and supportive area in the Black Hills.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

We are fortunate enough to have worked with many vendors in this industry that have all faced the struggles of being a “new business.” The knowledge and tips that have been so graciously shared with us from these other businesses, has been indispensable in securing a reputation that upholds our way of operation. Our events are entirely a team effort, and we cannot praise our local vendors enough for the help and insight they have provided us to ensure our own success. With this insight, our management has been able to instill in our staff how navigate exactly what our clientele is searching for when it comes to booking your wedding with Pine Haven.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

My advice in managing a team would be if you do not invest into your employees, they will not invest into your business. Providing action that shows that you as the manager would do anything to help your team, creates a line of trust that tells your staff that you want them as an individual to be just as successful as the business itself . Recognition of hard work is the easiest yet one of the most gratifying praises you can give in the work place, and in turn, can push your staff to want to work even harder, and possibly gain more passion about their jobs and for the business they work in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pinehavenblackhills.com
• Instagram: pinehavenvenueandlodging
• Facebook: Pine Haven Venue & Lodging