The iconic tower of Ponce City Market is being transformed into a new lobby bar and event space called RFD Social, which is set to debut next month.

Slater Hospitality – the owner/operator of Skyline Park, Nine Mile Station and Rooftop Terrace event space – began restoring the tower last fall and will unveil the new experiences to the public this March. Local design firm, ASD | SKY used Ponce City Market’s industrial roots to define the design palate for each level of RFD Social.

Upon arriving from the freight elevator’s 10th floor entrance to The Roof at PCM, guests will now be welcomed by The Parlour, which will feature a full bar and lounge with 77 seats, vintage French chandeliers, bistro-style tables, custom brown leather banquettes, and a display of old-fashioned radios and photography. The Parlour will offer early century style games including bumper pool, tabletop shuffle board and an antique poker table. Open to the public during Skyline Park’s regular hours, the expanded lobby area will also be available for private event bookings.

The newly restored 11th floor will boast 3,970 square feet of private meeting and fully private event space called the Roebuck Room that can host 175 guests for a variety of gatherings including team building, training, off-site meetings and social events. The Roebuck Room houses both a small and large conference room, as well as a much larger flexible event room, and will feature vintage touches that celebrate the building’s history.

“With RFD Social, we are hoping to preserve the vintage feel and history of the tower, while offering two new event and entertainment experiences for our guests on the Roof,” said Mandy Slater, owner of Slater Hospitality. “This expansion has been a project of passion and dedication for our team and we look forward to unveiling the finished space next month.”

The name “RFD Social” was inspired by Dinner Bell R.F.D. (Radio Farmer’s Democracy), a local radio show originally broadcasted from the tower’s 11th floor in the 1920s. Sears & Roebuck would air the show three days a week at noon, when rural farmers and housewives took a break from their day to gather around the table. At the start of each program, host and harmonist Dewey Burnett would ring a dinner bell, followed by a show full of farming and homemaking advice and music by local musicians of the time, from John Carson to the Wompus Cats.

For more information on RFD Social’s progress, visit poncecityroof.com.

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