701 Whaley

Housed in a restored 1903 building in Columbia, South Carolina, 701 Whaley began as the company store for the area's textile mills and, by 1909, had become the community center for mill workers — known simply as "The Y," complete with a bowling alley, gymnasium, and dance hall. After decades of decline and a partial roof collapse led the city to condemn the building, a team of local developers purchased and restored the 55,000-square-foot structure, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the venue offers a range of distinct event spaces within the historic building, from the Grand Hall's floor-to-ceiling windows and Grand Staircase to the Granby Room's street-level glass storefront and original wood columns. The Olympia Room, on the second floor, retains its original hardwood floors and 17-foot ceilings, while The Pool — a 1918 space reopened in 2022 — features a glass floor, soaring windows, and hand-laid mosaic tile skylit from above. An adjacent Market building adds an indoor-outdoor setting with garage doors that open onto a covered, festively lit porch. 701 Whaley also anchors the 701 Center for Contemporary Art and a community of live/work lofts and artist studios, giving events at the venue a backdrop of working galleries and local art. Renters are free to bring in the caterer and bartending service of their choice, and spaces can accommodate gatherings from an intimate 50 guests to a venue-wide event for 1,000.