Mississippi Studios owners Kevin Cradock and Jim Brunberg have purchased the North Star Ballroom (located at 635 N Killingsworth Ct). They'll continue to rent the space for private events, but also plan to host concerts every so often.

"We haven't made any long-term decisions about programming, except to keep the spirit of the place as it currently is," Brunberg says. "We wanted a space that would be available for more events ranging from nonprofit fundraisers to weddings, with occasional low-key shows."

They won't alter much about the striking brick building, either: "Besides a few facilities updates and a little touchup and plumbing updates, the only thing we are changing is the translation of the name," says Brunberg. "In other words, we are reverting to Latin: Polaris."

Brunberg and Cradock own three Portland music venues—Mississippi Studios, Revolution Hall (which they own with True West), and now Polaris Hall. Last weekend they used the space to rehearse for the shows at Mississippi Studios and Revolution Hall's roof deck tomorrow and Sunday, when the 22-piece Billy Shears Orchestra will perform the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band for the album's 50th birthday. Polaris Hall's first public concert will be local folksinger Shelley Short's release show for her new record, Pacific City, on Friday, August 25.