COLUMBIA -- Since 2023, Main Street's The Venue has been under construction and renovation. Now, the owners of the event space are ready to debut its new look.
Located at 1626 Main St. and constructed in 1907, The Venue is one of Columbia's remaining historic buildings. Originally, the space was constructed for the Lutheran Synod of South Carolina, but, just over 40 years later, architect Harold Saxelby modernized it for business use.
Today, the newly renovated Venue boasts two levels of white-and-gold seating, a full-service kitchen and cocktail bar, an elevated entertainment stage and crystal lighting. LTC Hospitality has kept the bones of the space intact, including The Venue's outside exterior, which displays one of Main Street's last vertical neon signs.
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"We went for a very classic look. We wanted a clean space, with white walls and old chandeliers," said Rheyanah Clayton, marketing and design coordinator at LTC Hospitality. "We've seen events do really well in here, and we just wanted to capitalize on that."
According to David Turner, the marketing director of LTC hospitality, he and his team were intent on making the space more accessible to a diverse array of private events, rather than its previous repertoire of "mid-sized artist" concerts.
"There's some places that are known for their concert venues, and we feel like they do that really well," he said. "We felt like what really worked great in this space was having private events. We have a space that would accommodate everybody."
Along with the renovations, LTC has now turned The Venue into an "all-in-one" event space, with fully customizable food and drink menus, as well as lighting and decor versatility.
"If you ask anyone who's ever booked a private event, they'll tell you it gets overwhelming," Turner said. "The easier we can make it for them, the happier they are. We can become their home base for everything."
Columbia resident Lee Williams was the first to hold an event -- his 40th birthday party -- in The Venue's new space. He described the night, which included custom cocktails using mixers from other LTC restaurants, a personalized playlist and a photo-friendly, all-white theme, as "magical."
"I had, basically, a perfect night," Williams said. "It all just fell into place."
Aside from customizable menus, The Venue's kitchen and bar will offer a lineup of signature dishes and drinks. Keep reading to learn more about some of their offerings.
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Between rich grits cooked in milk to the shrimp bathed in a rich, dark roux, The Venue's Lowcountry shrimp and grits is the embodiment of comfort food. Sautéed onions and peppers at a necessary bite to the otherwise-creamy dish.
Barbecued meatballs
Simple and filling, these bite-sized morsels feature a slightly herbaceous meat blend and are coated in a familiar sweet and sticky barbecue sauce.
Bruschetta
The Venue's take on this classic Italian appetizer includes unmarinated and juicy tomatoes, diced mozzarella, fresh basil and fruity balsamic glaze piled atop soft slices of bread. The large platter serving format makes them an ideal fit for hosts looking to serve light, summery finger food.
Featured cocktails
With a full-service bar, The Venue also promises to offer guests custom cocktails, like this untitled concoction of grapefruit and rose vodka, Campari, aloe liqueur and lime, garnished with a sprig of rosemary. Between all the botanicals, it reads like a lighter more elevated iced tea.
Featured mocktails
For drinkers looking for all of the flavor and none of the proof, The Venue also offers a suite of custom mocktails, including one with strawberry-rhubarb soda, black-pepper-infused honey and lemon. The bite of the black pepper mimics that of drinking something spirited, and the strawberry-rhubarb-lemon combination makes for a sweet and fruity sip.