SPACES by Premier Is Charlotte’s New Affordable Event Option
A new all-in-one Black-owned space is now open in Charlotte, North Carolina, to host local events.
SPACES by Premier hopes to be the go-to spot for gatherings of all kinds. SPACES (Social and Professional Areas for Creative Events and Services) is owned by local pharmacist and entrepreneur Martez Prince, who said the idea came to him after he had difficulty finding affordable venues for his nonprofit.
Prince told QCity Metro the 3,000-square-foot “blank canvas” venue is available for various events—from fashion shows to weddings to corporate meetings. The goal is to “inspire and work with other businesses, small businesses, and things like that.”
As owner of Premier Pharmacy and Wellness Center and founder of the nonprofit Premier Foundation of North Carolina, the 38-year-old thinks having access to explore different event ideas is critical for business development. “I really want to see people take that space and sort of test the market,” Prince said.
SPACES also has the perfect setup for creative vendors. The foyer is described as a holding space for guests that features pre-event cocktails or networking capabilities for guests before they enter the main space. With a 150-person capacity, or 100 for a seated dinner, there may be room for live music events or podcasts.
With exposed beams, high ceilings, and a “prop door,” the main room accommodates indoor and outdoor events, including photoshoots. It also hosts a dressing suite, prep kitchen, and a variety of tables and chairs. “It’s multi-purpose, multifunctional. It was really designed to become anything that you can imagine,” Prince said.
The venue is close to Prince’s Pharmacy, located on Monroe Rd. In addition to serving the community with an affordable event space and medicine selections, Premier hosts an on-site clinic staffed with a family nurse practitioner prepared to diagnose and treat non-urgent issues such as ear infections and allergy symptoms.
The clinic also performs basic health screenings with physicals and immunizations.
Rates for the venue are $150 per hour, with a minimum of three hours. Weekend rates hold the same minimum but for $300 per hour. Tables and chairs are included with all rentals. For an entire weekend day, the space costs $2,400.
In the future, Prince says he hopes to elevate SPACES into a multi-location creative space, similar to “a millennial-type country club or city club.”
“The ideas are endless…I’m just excited to see what we can create,” Prince says.
