226 The Warehouse: A space designed for every occasion

By Faith Hatton, posted Aug 27, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

The venue features two levels, two fully stocked bars, audio-video systems including projectors, and lighting solutions, an in-house culinary team, lounge space, a bistro section and private rooms, a state-of-the-art DJ booth and on-site staff to help plan a range of events. Photo provided by 226 The Warehouse

A unique event venue has taken shape in the heart of downtown Fayetteville. 226 The Warehouse, located at 226 Donaldson St., gives the appearance of an ordinary brick building on the outside, but the inside has been transformed into an industrial-chic, thoughtfully curated space designed to host any kind of event.

The venue was the creation of business partners and Co-owners Robert Savage and Andre Thomas. After reconnecting through the previous owner of the building, the two decided to acquire the historic Cotton Exchange building in 2023 and worked together to renovate the 8,000-square-foot space into a new venue that combines industrial charm with modern sophistication.

“Andre and I, both of us are Veterans, and we met during our time in the Army. We have developed a close relationship over the years. I remember it was probably about eight or nine o’clock at night. All the vendors had left, and Mr. John Malzone, who was the owner of the building, gave us access to it. And I walked into the building, and the moment we walked in the building, I was like, ‘This is a perfect place for event space,’” recalled Savage.

The two worked on the interior for more than a year to get the design just right. According to Savage and Thomas, bringing a historic building that was originally used as an antique mall into the 21st century was a challenge.

“It was a massive undertaking. After the vendors left, we got a dump truck inside the building, and we loaded that dump truck literally from top to bottom, about 15 times…from there, we went to work demolishing and getting all the stuff out. The building was built in 1913, so it’s got some age on it, and so over the course of the time, just little by little, we stayed at it. We had some obstacles as we were building, but we just stayed committed to the process, and here we are,” shared Savage. “Everything that was original to the building that could be salvaged, we didn’t touch.”

“When I tell you that was a very painful process because when we first walked in it, the number that we had in our head we were like, ‘Oh wow, this shouldn’t be that much work,’ until you start to get down to the nitty-gritty and you start to break things down,” shared Thom as. “It took a lot of work on both our parts to ensure that we kept the project moving forward.”

The duo opened their doors in November of 2024, and after almost two years in operation, the team at 226 The Warehouse has hosted events ranging from intimate gatherings with just 50 people to large-scale events hitting the 333-person capacity of the building.

The venue features two levels, two fully stocked bars, audio-video systems including projectors, and lighting solutions, an in-house culinary team, lounge space, a bistro section and private rooms, a state-of-the-art DJ booth and on-site staff to help plan a range of events.

The versatile space can accommodate every type of event, even as clients continue to explore the possibilities with every booking.

“As we looked into the space, both of us kind of said, ‘What would we want if we could take a blank canvas?’ How would we design a space? And so we both agreed I would want a private room. I would want to have a place where I can have a relaxed area, which we have underneath the mezzanine. I would want to have a place where, if there’s a party, I can have a private area to have a conversation. So as we went into the design phase of this, it was all about what the customer is looking for,” shared Savage. “Each client has a unique way of shifting the building, and the building has such a dynamic flow to it. It’s just not built for one thing.”

After two years in business together, both Savage and Thomas rely on their staff, families and each other to keep the business running while also continuously curating a list of clients.

“I tell people all the time, you find out a partnership and run ning a business is very similar to a marriage. It’s like you two are bound together legally. So you have to work through whatever issues to make sure that you continue to keep that union solid. We’ve been doing a pretty good job of that. Just having those conversations, sitting down, talking through things to make sure that we continue to keep moving forward,” shared Thomas.

To learn more about 226 The Warehouse, find them online at www.226thewarehousenc.com.

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