The Warehouse District was built initially as an industrial zone due to its proximity to the rail lines several blocks West of downtown Raleigh. By the late 1980s much of the district had found use as galleries, studio space, poetry reading space, and
woodworking shop. Nightlife venues came to the district in the form of The Berkley and the Capital Coral,
Culture Club, and Fallout Shelter in the mid to late 1980s. Capital Coral, which opened at 313 Hargett Street in 1976, was Raleigh's first
gay bar for men. The bar, originally a country western bar and later a disco nightclub, was a
member's only club that did not permit entry to women unless they were accompanied by a male member. In 1991, Legends NightClub, an 18+ gay club, opened in the district. The club's owners, Tim Bivens and Matt Cozzi, sold Legends in 2020 for $4.3 million to CityPlat. Today the Warehouse District is home to several restaurants in addition to nightlife and art venues. The district now features several
craft beer establishments including Crank Arm Brewing, Boylan Street Brewpub, Tasty beverage Company, and Brewmasters Bar & Grill. The 2010s saw a surge of business growth in the district. In 2011, the
Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh moved into a 20,000-square-foot warehouse in the district.
Citrix opened a 550-employee division headquarters in the former Dillon Supply building in 2014. HQ Raleigh, a co-working space with 45 businesses, announced its move to Warehouse District in 2013. Local business leaders said the district was "starting to create an entrepreneurial reputation." == Events ==