We are really excited to share this blog about The Jefferson Oxford (https://thejeffersonoxford.com/). We began working with this family-owned business six years ago at Mallard’s croft, and have loved watching it evolve into what it is now. The Jefferson is such a grand venue. It is always a special treat when we get to work there.

“Tom Green III and I, Margie Green Schloesser, are siblings from West Point and have been business partners for more than 25 years. We had our first taste of the hospitality industry while living together in Aspen, CO, in the 1980s. Decades later, I now live with my husband, Peter, in Park City, UT (although I spend about a quarter of my time in Mississippi, and I work remotely almost daily on The Jefferson projects). Peter and I have two adult sons. Tom lives near Collierville, TN, with his wife, Lucy Wittichen Green. It was while Tom’s three daughters were attending Ole Miss that we built The Jefferson. 

Tom’s and my first business partnership was, and still is, commercial real estate in the Memphis area. We then opened a reclamation company, Green Family Materials. Over the course of a decade, Tom led our efforts in reclaiming antique beams, brick, copper, and flooring from many textile mills in Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. Tom has always loved reclamation, as did our father and grandfather before him. They often had a demolition project going as a side business. There are photos on our website (https://thejeffersonoxford.com/) that show Tom at 13 years old helping our father, Tom Green Jr, demolish the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of West Point. While most of our reclaimed materials were sold to residential construction projections, over the years, we amassed quite an inventory of unique materials that we hoped to one day use in a building of our own- yes, The Jefferson!” – Margie

“Our venture into the venue business started when Tom and Lucy purchased a farm just south of Collierville in 2014. The farm included a barn with stalls and a dirt floor. A family friend asked if they could have a wedding in the barn. The subsequent remodeling of the barn led to the creation of Mallard’s Croft: a wedding venue, duck preserve, remodeled farmhouse for nightly rentals, and, most recently, The Florian, a two-story glass chapel in the woods. Plus, they offer activities like skeet shooting for corporate retreats, groomsmen entertainment, and family reunions. This is where Tom learned to love event management.” – Margie

“In the initial years that Tom’s daughters were at Ole Miss, Tom and Lucy attended many events in Oxford. Tom discovered that Oxford did not have a venue large enough for big wedding receptions or large college social events like parent weekends or casino nights. Thus, the idea of building a venue was born, and the search for the perfect location began. In May 2015, we purchased a 90-acre farm 5 miles from the square. It was a tranquil setting with a small lake. Ultimately, the lake and levy were expanded, and extensive earth moved to create the venue site and a large parking lot. 

Tom had the expertise to design the building and the vision of how our reclaimed materials should be incorporated. We loved having the opportunity to use unique materials that we had been collecting for years: flooring, Oxford brick, original windows, beams, and many other architectural features. We broke ground in September 2015 and had a very ‘soft opening’ for the Chamber of Commerce Gala in May 2016. Construction wrapped up later that summer, and we have been hosting events ever since.” – Margie

“We wanted to reflect Oxford’s literary history and loved that ‘Jefferson’ was the name of the fictional town where many of William Faulkner’s works are set.” – Margie

“The antique reclaimed materials that we used throughout the venue give it a lot of personality. The lakeside patio and walkway, covered porch, acres of grounds, and the barn offer unique photo backdrops. Our large windows and natural light provide endless spots for beautiful photos.

We love the flexibility our space offers for weddings and events. Our rooms are not tied to specific uses. We have had intimate wedding receptions or dinner parties for 50 and some receptions for more than 600 guests. With three rooms, the larger events can use one room for the ceremony, transition to another room for a cocktail hour, and then flow into our Grand Hall for the reception.” – Margie

“The height of our ceilings adds to the beauty of our venue. To help decorate, we offer two electronic hoists for those that may be interested in floral chandeliers. One is in our Faulkner Room (36 Ft ceiling at peak), and one is in the Grand Hall (22 Ft ceiling at peak). Tom designed these so that they can be decorated at waist level and then raised to the appropriate level using the electronic hoist. Simple or elaborate, a floral chandelier offers a design element that can enhance any décor.

We have ‘resort status,’ which means that full bar service is available (but bar service is not required). Three rolling bars are included with the venue rental along with our large built-in bar in the Grand Hall. The rolling bars give us the flexibility to place the bars in any room or on the porch. For one very large event, we had six bars.

We have both a bride’s room and a groom’s room. These can be used throughout the day for hair and make-up or just hanging out and having brunch with your squad.” – Margie

“We have a lot of new things coming soon! We are so excited about asphalt! Late spring of 2020, we replaced our gravel road with asphalt. We now have pavement from the highway, across the levy, around the building, and on the road up to the upper parking lot. This is something that we have wanted to do since we opened. Our ADA spots are now well-marked and provide easy access to the venue.

Another new addition is a 2700 square foot concrete pad on the east end of the building. St Jude Taste of Oxford used the pad to install a 90’ x 30’ tent for guests to taste fabulous food provided by local caterers. We anticipate using this space for groups that need additional space (like Taste of Oxford) or events that have a caterer that would like to bring a catering tent.” – Margie