A Raleigh husband-and-wife pair are livening up the Warehouse District with an event space along Union Station’s tracks.

Raleigh natives Rob and Gabie Frantz say a bar was always a pipe dream, but when they found this vacant space, they took the leap. “Our dream came to life when we found this place,” says Gabie Frantz, who previously worked in marketing. “We weren’t actively looking for something, but when we came here, we knew it was perfect.” The building dates back to 1918. It started out as a produce warehouse next to the railroad tracks, evolved as storage space for newspapers, and then paint. Most recently, it was a nightclub. “It’s had a lot of lives,” Alvarez the architect says.

The name came as naturally as the space itself. The building’s name with the historic registry, Junction West, stuck with the duo. “It was a railroad junction on West Street. It made sense and we just started to refer to the project as Junction West.”

Junction West artfully transformed the historic warehouse into a sprawling but intimate space, flooded with natural light and an easy flow to an outdoor courtyard. Exposed brick and original wooden beams—dating back to the 1930s—offer a nod to the building’s industrial past, while clean and chic interiors parallel the modern and growing city Raleigh is today.

The details throughout the space are intentional. The Frantzs worked with Nicole Alvarez of Clearscapes to create an environment that’s simple, bright, and welcoming. “We designed this space to be somewhere we would want to go,” says Rob Frantz. Gabie Frantz says conversation was key in this space’s renovation. “We built the [venue] around conversation. There are acoustic panels built in and natural light, so you can see and hear who you’re with. We want people to hang out and celebrate, no matter what time of day.”

Officially open in 2018, it began as both a bar and event space. Tucked into the heart of downtown Raleigh, Junction West has become the spot for people to gather to celebrate and connect, whether you're hosting a wedding, a conference or an offsite networking event. No longer a public bar, the venue still pays homage to their love of supporting the local beer scene with hand-picked package bar offerings.

Host your wedding or event in downtown Raleigh’s booming Warehouse District!