The former Coca-Cola bottling plant in Winston-Salem is getting a delicious and refreshing update. City Editor Cambridge toured the historic property on South Poplar Street (across from the Old Salem Visitors Center) to pop the top on what’s coming.
The fizz-ical space
The building is nearly a century old. Here a brief look at how we got here:
1929: Winston Coca-Cola Bottling Company opens the building in April.
1938-1965: Additions are added to triple the property’s square footage.
1986: Old Salem Museum and Gardens acquires the property
1994: Portions of the building are remodeled.
2022: Developer Jared Rogers buys the property.
2023: City Council approves the building’s designation as a local historic landmark.
Thirst for something new
Rogers named the project Salem Bottleworks and originally planned to turn the space into a food hall. He says he changed directions when the owners of Bobby Boy Bakeshop expressed the need for more space.
The downstairs portion of the main building will become the bakery’s commercial kitchen and dining area. Rogers says September 2024 is the target to have the space up and running. Plans are also in the works to convert the upstairs of the main building into three studio apartments, a four-bedroom Airbnb, and event space.
Rogers says they are adding 1,500 sqft to the existing 30,000 sqft of space. Additional features will include:
- A balcony with seating underneath
- Dedicated space for food trucks
- ~1.2 acres of surrounding property for parking
Three restaurants are also slated for the 1.09-acre complex. Rogers can’t disclose what the new dining options will be yet, but says the first one plans to open in December 2024. The other two are slated to open in spring 2025.
