Schedule an Event at Firestorm Cafe & Books

Note – We do not make reservations via email, Facebook, Myspace or any other online technology. You must come into the cafe or call us to make a reservation.

When we started Firestorm Cafe in early 2008, one of our primary motivations was the lack of meeting and event space in downtown Asheville. Many of us had experience with local community groups and had witnessed the struggle that such programs often face when looking for a home. For this reason, we are pleased to make space available throughout the week for meetings, classes, workshops, fundraisers, author events, acoustic music performance, film screenings, etc.

How it works

To reserve our back room or the entire cafe, please call us at (828) 255-8115. The best time to call is before lunch or after dinner. If you call during busy hours, we'll probably have to take your info and call you back later. If you are local to WNC, we encourage you to drop by in person to discuss your event.

Each event must be sponsored by a worker-owner who will act as your liaison. When you call or drop in, we will assist you in finding a sponsor. This process typically takes 48 hours and we cannot confirm an event until it is completed.

We recommend that all events be scheduled at least three weeks in advance as this is the minimum amount of time needed to ensure that your event is properly promoted.

Space & Equipment

Our back room is separated from the main cafe area by a heavy curtain, providing a reasonable level of privacy for most events. The area contains a small stage, chairs and tables which you are free to use. On request we can also make available a four-channel PA system and/or digital projector.

Promotion

You are responsible for the promotion of your own event! If you provide us with sufficient details, we will do our best to ensure that you are listed in The Mountain Xpress, Take 5, on our website, in our e-newsletter and on our in-house events calendar. At a minimum, we recommend that you produce flyers or posters for your event. We will help you get them up around town if you provide them to us at least 14 days in advance.

Costs

In order to cover our overhead costs, we charge a nominal fee for commercial space reservation and request a sliding scale contribution for all noncommercial reservation except performances. Of course, you are welcome to come in and use our cafe whenever you like at no cost, but we cannot guarantee the availability of space without a reservation.

Performances

We do not ask performers for any financial contribution although donations are gladly accepted!

With rare exceptions, performances at Firestorm cannot charge a cover. This is because we derive our primary income from the sale of food, drinks and literature and cannot cover our costs if we turn away patrons. The exception is on Sundays, when the cafe is closed (see Reserving the Entire Cafe below).

Noncommercial Events

We ask for a $5-15 sliding scale contribution from noncommercial groups who wish to reserve our back room. If you are interested in using the space on an ongoing basis, we can reserve the room for you at a reduced cost.

Commercial Events

For commercial use we will gladly make the back room available for 25% of an event's proceeds.

Reserving the Entire Cafe

At this time, we can only make the entire cafe available on Sundays.

We ask for $50 to reserve the cafe when events are charging admission and $20 when they are free. We ask for these fees in advance to secure your reservation. If your event is cancelled, we will refund your money as long as we have at least 14 days advanced notice.