New Chehalis Event Center Offers a Unique Automotive Backdrop

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For classic car collector Don Jester, the creation of the Jester Auto Museum & Event Center was almost a necessity.

“We ran out of space (for the cars),” he said. “We were putting them all over the place.”

The newly finished event center at 321 Hamilton Road in Chehalis took that practical need and turned it into a spacious multi-use event center and a museum showcasing Jester’s collection of more than 30 cars, motorcycles, boats and even a plane as a backdrop for a wedding, corporate event or fundraiser.

“We’re just starting to take bookings,” co-owner Ralph Hubbert said. 

The museum portion of the center is not open regular hours or for tours like a traditional museum. 

Instead, organizations or individuals renting the event center can pay extra for an hour of cocktails or a reception in the adjoining museum, said event coordinator Rogette Hubbert. 

Rental of the event space costs $4,000, with an additional $500 for the hour-long access to the car museum.

“It’s purpose-built,” she said. “In doing that, it’s not for everybody.”

Jester is from Cathlamet, but agreed to having the facility in Lewis County, Ralph Hubbert said. 

“We’re fortunate he chose Lewis County to let us build this,” he said. 



The center already has bookings for fundraisers for organizations such as Providence hospitals and Pope’s Kids’ Place.

The museum portion of the event center showcases dozens of examples of expertly restored classic cars, such as a Chevrolet Corvette and Bel Airs, a 1957 Chevrolet pickup named Quiksilver — featured on TV for its one of a kind chrome and engine design among other features — a Ford Thunderbird, a Chevrolet El Camino and many more in the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it museum. 

It even includes a 1930s bumper car converted into a working vehicle. 

“Most of these are Don’s personal cars,” Ralph Hubbert said.

The adjoining event facility has a sound system, TVs and a room for caterers. Table and chair rentals come with the facility.

Jester told The Chronicle he’s been collecting the vintage vehicles for the past 20 years. He called his collection “eclectic.”

“It’s a little mix of everything,” he said. 

Jester, who has chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a rare autoimmune disease attacking the nervous system, may have more classic cars than he knows what to do with now, but that’s not stopping him from planning for the future. 

“If I ever get well, I’m going to buy a Ferrari,” he said.