The Gathering Spot Marks 10 Years of Community, Culture, and Connection

The Gathering Spot, an Atlanta-based members-only club and cultural gathering space, is celebrating 10 years of fostering collaboration, connection, and cultural experiences.

Founded by Ryan Wilson and TK Petersen, the networking center was created to fill a gap in the city by offering a welcoming space for work, dining, and networking. Since then, it has grown into a destination that has hosted elected officials, household names, and other movers and shakers.

Founding Story of The Gathering Spot

The idea for the event hub began to form in Wilson’s mind in 2013 when the protests and dissatisfactions following George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin had reached an all-time high. 

Wilson, who was in law school at the time at Georgetown University, emailed Petersen, his old college roommate, to join him in creating a place for people to come together.

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They eventually launched in 2016 at The Northyards development, replacing part of the Bauder College campus. It has become a thriving community and one of the new centers of power in Atlanta and the country.

“The Gathering Spot has always been a space where meaningful connections and bold ideas come to life,” said Ryan Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot.

TGS has become a hub for entrepreneurs, creatives, and executives, offering spaces that go beyond co-working. It’s a place to redefine professional community membership, prioritizing productivity and well-being.

The Gathering Spot’s  second Atlanta location at the Interlock in West Midtown

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According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Petersen said the business “has never been about what the two of us want TGS to be for ourselves. It’s a place where you can meet someone who can help you develop professionally or socially beyond what you could have ever thought of.”

The club operates as a private membership organization with an invitation-only policy, offering collaborative workspaces, a full-service bar, and concierge services. It has become a central gathering place for diverse professionals, hosting events, high-profile parties, political campaigns, and startup awards galas, thereby reshaping Atlanta’s community culture.

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Milestone Achievements on a Decade-long Journey

The Gathering Spot has locations in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Atlanta has two venues: the original Northyards Blvd NW club and a new location at The Interlock in West Midtown. 

Washington D.C.’s club is centrally located downtown, near the White House, with a dedicated event space for conferences and receptions. Los Angeles boasts rooftop views, a pool, restaurants, and flexible workspaces, attracting pros, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

TGS’s current investors, according to Wilson, include NBA legend Charles Barkley, rapper T.I., and Ludacris’ longtime manager Chaka Zulu. Over its decade-long existence, the premier Black-owned networking and co-working hub has secured about $30 million.

Some of the guests and speakers who have graced the center include President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, billionaire philanthropist Robert Smith, state governors, Fortune 100 companies, and celebrity musicians like Usher and Drake. 

LeBron James also hosted his birthday party at TGS in Atlanta, Georgia, one year ago. The hub has been used for several political campaigns. When Dickens won his first term as Atlanta mayor in 2021, he held his election-night party at TGS, breaking a tradition of hosting such events at big hotels. The Harris-Walz campaign also made multiple stops at the venue in 2024.

Looking Ahead to The Next Decade

Unlike traditional private member organizations or country clubs, TGS has ensured the hub remains accessible to the community it was meant to serve during moments of crisis.

“When there was any moment when there’s been a protest, our immediate reaction is, please know that this is a place where you can organize,” Wilson said. 

After the Fearless Fund was sued by a prominent conservative activist in 2023 for alleged racial discrimination, TGS hosted the business community to support the initiative. 

The premier event hub also ran a nightly food program for local Atlanta students and offered free space to nonprofits, according to Wilson. When wildfires hit LA in 2025, TGS LA opened its doors to those in need of shelter, food, and internet access.

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“Ten years in, if there’s something we’re celebrating, it’s that, like, we were able to go from ideation to being significant and important,” Wilson said. As he and Petersen look ahead, they envision more locations and spaces beyond member clubs. But TGS‘s mission stays the same, he said.