For the last two years, the nearly 100 year-old and 1,000 sq ft building on West Asheville’s Haywood Road has sat vacant. Soon, the space will be alive with storytelling, performances, artist workshops, and creativity classes.

Story Parlor, Asheville’s newest cooperative arts space + venue, opens to the public on Fri., April 29. Wondering what to expect? Join us on a behind-the-scenes tour with owner Erin Hallagan Clare.

via GIPHY

The building itself is already chock full of stories. According to Erin’s research, the venue was built in the 1920s and over the decades has housed a yoga studio, doula space, art gallery, casket shop, and craft shop. Inside, there are four magnificent, floor-length arched windows framing an interior that’s embossed with hardwood floors and funky white tin ceiling tiles. Above the main hall sits a loft space that offers bar seating + grandiose views of the stage below.

Since the building allows only a max capacity of 49 people, Erin envisions the space as an “intimate listening environment.” And in order to allow maximum flexibility for programming, the tables and stage are collapsible and moveable.

Erin’s overarching goal? For Story Parlor to serve as an affordable, community-driven space where folks can share their creativity and collaborate with each other on artistic pursuits. This should be a breeze, considering Erin and her husband ran Story Bar, a traveling storytelling series in Austin, TX from 2015-2020.

To that end, Story Parlor will offer weekly rehearsal space for co-op members, customizable rental space, and a suite of classes + workshops for creatives of all stripes. Ready to tap into a new sphere of creativity? Check out the inaugural event “Story Mixer: New Beginnings” on Fri., April 29, 7:30-10 p.m.