The Southern Cafe and Music Hall

Name

The Southern Cafe and Music Hall

Legal name

The Southern Café & Music Hall

Website

https://thesoutherncville.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Live music venue
• Private event rentals
• Concert ticketing
• Cafe dining
• Music entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Advance tickets sold through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also available in person from the venue box office beginning 2 hours prior to any performance, or from the Jefferson Theater box office.
2. Food & Beverage Sales: The Café opens 2 hours prior to all events offering traditional Southern inspired fare. Food and beverage sales complement the live music experience.
3. Venue Rentals: The venue is available for private rentals hosting up to 80 seated guests for dinners and up to 300 guests for cocktail parties. Offers design options including seating on the stage and use of café and venue space.
4. Merchandise Sales: On-site merchandise counter selling artist and venue merchandise during events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Southern Cafe and Music Hall operates a 300+ capacity live music venue on Charlottesville's Historic Downtown Mall, hosting nearly 150 events per year alongside a Southern-inspired cafe that serves food and drinks starting two hours before showtime. The venue also provides private event rental services accommodating up to 80 seated guests or 300 cocktail-style attendees, sells merchandise on-site, and distributes tickets through Ticketmaster.com.

Product overview

The Southern Cafe & Music Hall operates as a single unified offering—a combined music venue and cafe experience on Charlottesville's Historic Downtown Mall. The venue has two distinct components: the Music Hall, a 300+ capacity club-level venue hosting approximately 150 live music events annually featuring local, regional, and national touring acts across all genres, and the Café, which serves traditional Southern-inspired fare 2 hours before events. The venue also offers private event rental services for dinners (up to 80 seated) and cocktail parties (up to 300 guests). Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster for advance purchase and at the box office for walk-up sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Music Hall: The music performance venue offering world-class sound and professional lighting with a capacity of 300+, hosting local, regional and national touring acts nearly 150 times per year.
• The Café

Products and services

• Live Music Events (Music Hall) A 300+ capacity live music venue hosting nearly 150 events per year, featuring touring acts and local performers with world-class sound and professional lighting. Open to individual ticketholders and fans of live music.
• The Cafe A Southern-inspired cafe serving food and drinks starting two hours before showtime, available to ticketed event attendees and walk-in customers.
• Private Event Venue Rental Private rental of the venue accommodating up to 80 seated guests or 300 cocktail-style attendees, targeted at event planners, corporate hosts, and individuals organizing private functions.
• Concert Ticket Sales Ticket sales for live music events, distributed through Ticketmaster.com to individual concertgoers.
• On-Site Merchandise Sales On-site merchandise sales available to event attendees at the venue.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ting PavilioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRelated venue under the same promotional umbrella. The Southern, Jefferson Theater, and Ting Pavilion cross-promote events and share ticketing infrastructure. Listed as related venues with coordinated event calendars.
• Jefferson TheatercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliated venue that shares box office services with The Southern. Jefferson Theater box office sells tickets for The Southern events and operates regular box office hours on Thursdays and Fridays.
• Hello Goodbye RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal record label that partners with The Southern to present shows, such as the Hello Goodbye Records presents Hardcore Matinee events.
• SennheiserminorOthersAudio equipment sponsor providing professional sound equipment for the venue.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive online ticketing platform for advance ticket sales. All events at The Southern are sold exclusively through Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Jefferson Theater box office.
• Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization that promotes The Southern as a visitor destination on visitcharlottesville.org.
• WTJUminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station (99.7 FM) that co-presents events and promotes shows at The Southern, such as the Mock Stars Ball.
• WNRNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station (106.1 FM) that co-presents shows and promotes events at The Southern, including concerts by artists like Patty Griffin.

Scale indicators4 records

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Bowl: Music venue concept that pairs live performances with full food and beverage service, mirroring The Southern's combined music-hall-plus-café model. Comparable in offering mix (concerts, F&B, private events) and as a club-level touring-act destination.
• The Sinclair: Mid-sized (~500 capacity) live music club and restaurant in Cambridge, MA that runs a dense calendar of touring acts alongside full food and beverage service. Directly comparable as a club-tier music venue with integrated dining.
• The Hamilton: Washington, DC live music venue and full-service restaurant combining a ~300-seat dining room with a ~400-capacity music hall. Comparable as a combined restaurant + live entertainment operator running a multi-genre touring calendar.
• The Basement East: Nashville club-level music venue in the ~400–600 capacity range hosting touring and local acts with a bar focus. Comparable as a club-tier independent music venue competing for similar indie, rock, and Americana touring circuits.
• World Cafe Live: Philadelphia music venue built around a downstairs listening room and upstairs restaurant and bar, hosting ~250–400 capacity shows alongside full dining. Closely mirrors The Southern's hall-plus-café format with multi-genre touring programming.
• Ting Pavilion: Outdoor amphitheater on Charlottesville's downtown mall, affiliated with The Southern through the same promotional/ ticketing network. Comparable as a competing local concert venue that captures some of the same touring acts and audiences The Southern serves.
• Jefferson Theater: Sister venue in Charlottesville affiliated with The Southern that shares ticketing infrastructure and cross-promotes events. It is the most direct comparable: same operator network, same downtown market, same live music + events positioning, just at a larger (~1,200) capacity.

Broad incumbents

• The Anthem: Large (~2,500–3,000 capacity) concert hall on DC's Wharf that competes for the same touring artists The Southern targets. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same regional live music market that anchors the touring circuit The Southern depends on.
• 9:30 Club: Legendary Washington, DC live music club at ~1,200 capacity that draws many of the same touring acts The Southern books at a smaller club tier. Comparable as a regional incumbent in the same mid-Atlantic independent music-venue ecosystem.

Regional players

• The Southern (Gravity Lounge) predecessor peers — Local Charlottesville competitors: The Southern itself occupies the former Gravity Lounge site; comparable regional competitors in the broader Charlottesville / UVA market include other bars and smaller clubs (e.g., The Whiskey Jar, C&O Restaurant) that compete for some of the same dining and live entertainment patrons.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/southern_cville
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSouthernCville
• Instagraminstagram.com/southerncville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-southern-cafe-and-music-hall

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Southern Cafe and Music Hall