Greenville, we know you've been wondering things like:

• When is Greenville getting a cool new club where we can dance to live music? 

• What about a chill, retro spot with killer acoustics perfect for amazing singer-songwriters?

• Will historic buildings downtown be repurposed or torn down? 

We heard you. And we couldn’t be more thrilled to report that two new venues designed specifically to answer these questions and give you so much more are about to open.

Meet The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory.

The Mockingbird Lobby

Coach Music Factory Interior 

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Built for Greenville by Greenville—that’s how we like to think of The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory. Both venues emerged from the city’s growth, reflecting the natural evolution of what the residents and visitors want access to with the performing arts.  

Ryman Auditorium, The Orange Peel, The Fillmore, Preservation Hall... destination cities have a signature music hall that’s part of the personality and identity of the place. We’re talking great music halls with history, character, an unmistakable feel, and an annual roster of shows you want to see—the kinds of places where the space doesn’t have to be big or the musicians legendary for you to have an epic musical experience.  

It was time for Greenville’s custom music venues, and the people were ready. 

Greenville isn’t like anywhere else, nor do we want to be. The goal with The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory was to create “our” venues, deeply rooted in the city’s history but reflective of where we are now and where we’re going. 

The results, as you’ll soon experience (much to our excitement), meld the best of downtown’s industrial heritage with Greenville’s growing reputation as a sophisticated destination city with a thriving cultural scene.  

One step inside The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory, and you know immediately that you’ve just set foot into someplace special.  

Plenty of character? Check.  

History? Unmistakable feel? Check, check. 

Superb roster of artists? Check. 

You’ll get to see some new favorite bands and musicians here, and both stages will be jumping off points for a lot of careers. One day, don’t be surprised when you're able to tell your friends you saw so-and-so at The Mockingbird or Coach Music Factory in downtown Greenville. 

Deep Dive: The Mockingbird Experience 

Downtown’s Markley and Gullick buildings received a glow up to become your bespoke listening room, The Mockingbird. Let’s take a tour...

The Mockingbird entryway. 

Pull open the sleek, wood-handled, glass double doors facing Main Street and step into an Art Deco-meets-industrial-chic dreamscape. To your right, you’re greeted by a minimalist, solid white marble host desk, accentuated by a black marble accent wall. To your left, you discover a meticulously preserved mural from a historic business--the same art that’s been part of downtown for Greenville residents for decades.  

Copper-toned embossed tin tiles line the ceiling, giving an early 1920s aesthetic and vintage architectural vibes. Polished wood floors take you to the full bar that stretches the length of room. The teal leather bar stools sit on a deco, chevron patterned black and white tile floor, the matte black bar and fixtures blending like shadows against the exposed bricks walls. High top tables, couches, and textured cushioned chairs with side tables face the semi-circular wood stage at the back-center of the room. The golden pecan tones of the floorboards reflect the light warmly. Handsome acoustic paneling lines the walls and ceiling, and double-coned sconces pour triangles of soft light on the exposed brick. But the real *gasp* moment comes from the sheer glass wall behind the stage overlooking downtown.  

Now THIS is a proper Greenville listening room. 

The Mockingbird listening room. 

The Mockingbird opens this weekend with a sold-out Song Sessions concert featuring Nashville songwriter Maia Sharp and her special guests Georgia Middleman & Gary Burr. Maia brings new guests every month for a Song Sessions concert, and we definitely recommend checking out the current lineup and getting tickets quickly. Keep your eyes peeled on our social media for new show announcements—they'll be rolling in all year.  

Deep Dive: The Coach Music Factory Experience 

Coach Music Factory is an old-school music club, the kind where the band plays on a simple stage, the audience crowding around, holding beers or dancing (or both). You know it as soon as you step through the door.  

The Coach Factory Ground Floor.

Back in the day, this building, the Coach Factory, was used to build and repair horse-drawn carriages (i.e., coaches). It’s spacious, essentially a gigantic brick-and-wood box ideal for hanging out, listening to bands, and dancing in front of the stage. 

The Coach Factory, downtown Greenville.

Like Markley and Gullick buildings, the Coach Factory was lovingly preserved but updated, and the true delight of this renovation is in the details. Yes, the all-glass garage door (it opens!) and bay of windows behind the stage are super cool. The triple-decker floor layout includes two floors of stage views and one enclosed room on the top floor for special events use. Two long, marble-and-tile bars on either side of the ground floor make it possible for you to grab a drink without ever losing sight of the stage. 

But, when you get there, look around for these historic Easter eggs that make Coach Music Factory a singular Greenville icon. 

• The Coach Factory windows. Although the original glass and frames had to be replaced, the factory window openings remained. 

• Exposed pipes and gauges. Modern construction hides pipes and gauges behind drywall, but around the venue you’ll see them exposed, the way they appeared to Greenville's carriage factory workers. 

• The alleyway foyer. When it was the Coach Factory, an alley ran behind the back of the building. During the design phase, the decision to historically preserve the exterior of the building meant transforming the alley into an extended, enclosed foyer, incorporating the old exterior as a “wall” of the new addition. To keep the historic look and feel consistent, a vaulted skylight and ceiling light fixtures resembling mill paddlewheels completed the design. If you look closely, you see the original metal power breakers on the old exterior wall. 

Get ready and get excited. We look forward to seeing you soon in your new Greenville-only and Greenville-centric music halls.

EXPLORE SHOWS

 

The Coach Music Factory balcony view. 

 

Photos of The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory © Jordan Powers