Less than two years after opening in the heart of historic Madison, Bellehouse Event Venue has been honored for the role it and its owners have played in supporting the city’s Main Street district.
Bellehouse received a 2025 Main Street Hero Award during Main Street Alabama’s annual Heroes Toast to Excellence in Enterprise. The award recognized the venue’s support of Main Street Madison, including more than $10,500 in in-kind contributions during 2025.
The restored historic indoor-outdoor event venue opened in December 2024 and is owned and operated by longtime Madison residents Rod and Brenda Matthews. Bellehouse hosts weddings, corporate meetings, showers, community gatherings and other events.
For Brenda Matthews, however, the goal was always for Bellehouse to serve a broader purpose in the community.
“We are deeply honored to receive the Main Street Hero Award,” she said. “Bellehouse was opened to be more than an event venue. We wanted it to be a place where people could gather, relationships could grow, and our community could come together. Supporting Main Street Madison is an important part of that vision.”
That support took several forms during Bellehouse’s first full year in business.
The Matthews donated use of the venue for Main Street Madison’s designation planning and celebration, its Resource Team Week and monthly board meetings. The total value of Bellehouse’s in-kind contributions to the organization exceeded $10,500 in 2025.
Bellehouse also stepped in when weather forced Main Street Madison’s Pet Pics with Santa event indoors, providing space so the event could continue. The event ultimately resulted in a charitable donation to the Madison Animal Rescue Foundation.
Bellehouse also supported visits from Leadership Greater Huntsville, helping Main Street Madison provide tours of the historic district and introduce area leaders to its businesses and ongoing revitalization efforts.
The Matthews are also directly involved in Main Street Madison’s work. Brenda serves as vice chair of the Main Street Madison Board, while Rod serves as chair of its Economic Vitality Committee.
Main Street Alabama’s Hero Award recognizes businesses and community partners for their contributions to the Main Street mission and their local districts.
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