THE COTTON ROOM AT BELFAST MILL HAS COMBINED HISTORY WITH A MODERN TOUCH AND FEEL OF AN UPTOWN SPEAKEASY. BOASTING AN EVER-ROTATING, INSPIRED COCKTAIL MENU. ALTHOUGH THE COTTON ROOM OFFICIALLY OPENED ITS DOORS IN APRIL 2016, THE NAME AND FEATURES WERE INSPIRED BY THE HISTORY OF BREVARD COURT. COMPLETED IN 1917 AFTER A DELAY DURING WWI, THE BREVARD COURTYARD WAS AN OPEN-AIR COTTON MARKET FOR MANY YEARS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN CHARLOTTE.  FARMERS WOULD BRING THEIR COTTON TO THE COURTYARD ON HORSE DRAWN CARTS AND LADDER TRUCKS TO SELL IT TO SHIPPERS WHO KEPT THEIR OFFICES AT THE BOTTOM OF BOTH BUILDINGS. THEY WOULD RE-SELL THE COTTON TO BUSINESSES AND BRING THE COTTON TO THE RAIL PLATFORM ONLY TWO BLOCKS AWAY, TO SHIP AROUND THE STATE AND COUNTRY. 

 

DURING THE DAY, THE COTTON WOULD BE IN THE COURTYARD STREETS FOR CUSTOMERS TO SHOP AND AT NIGHT, THEY WOULD BRING THE COTTON UP THE STAIRS TO THE TOP OF THE BUILDINGS TO STORE IN THE EVENINGS AND GRADE THE QUALITY FOR THE NEXT DAYS'S MARKET; HENCE, THE REASON SO MANY SKYLIGHTS AND WINDOWS IN THE TOP FLOORS.

​

THE COTTON ROOM, AS YOU KNOW IT TODAY, HAS KEPT EVERYTHING FROM THE ORIGINAL FLOORS, BRICK WALLS, SKYLIGHT AND EXPOSED RAFTERS AND IS PROUD TO PRESERVE THAT HISTORY AND PAY HOMAGE TO CHARLOTTE. NOT ONLY IN DECOR, BUT IN THE INSPIRATION TO USE LOCAL PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.