Forum & Social, a new private gathering concept founded by Drew Clark, has announced plans to launch across five Southeastern cities this summer. The venues will open in Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa and are designed for organizations that require structured environments for leadership meetings, client hosting, and donor engagement.
The concept introduces a venue format built specifically for professional gatherings rather than traditional events. Each Forum & Social location will provide a private setting where organizations can conduct strategic discussions, host clients, or convene advisory groups without the interruptions typically associated with hotels or restaurants.
“Organizations often make their most important decisions in spaces that were never designed for those conversations,” said Drew Clark, founder of Forum & Social. “Forum & Social was created to provide a private environment where leadership teams, boards, and clients can meet with focus and continuity.”
Each location consists of two connected environments that are reserved together as part of a single experience. The Forum is designed as a structured decision room suitable for board meetings, executive planning sessions, advisory councils, and leadership retreats. The Social is an adjacent lounge environment where conversations can continue after formal discussions conclude.
The design allows organizations to move naturally from structured dialogue to informal connection without relocating to another venue.
Clark explained that many organizations currently split gatherings across multiple locations, such as holding daytime meetings in conference rooms before moving to restaurants for dinners or client hosting.
“When teams have to change venues, the flow of the conversation often resets,” Clark said. “The intention behind Forum & Social was to create a place where dialogue can continue without interruption.”
The concept is intended for organizations that regularly bring leadership groups together, including corporate executive teams, professional service firms, nonprofits and foundations.
Professional firms such as law practices, accounting groups, wealth management firms, and consulting organizations often use similar environments to host client briefings and partner meetings. Nonprofit organizations and foundations may use the setting for board governance discussions or donor cultivation gatherings.
Each location will operate with limited weekly bookings to maintain privacy and operational consistency. Reservations will follow a request and confirmation process rather than an open public calendar.
According to Clark, the structure is intended to ensure that gatherings remain aligned with the purpose of the space.
“We designed Forum & Social to prioritize quality of experience rather than volume of events,” Clark said. “Every gathering is reviewed and confirmed to ensure it fits the environment.”
The five launch markets were selected based on the presence of corporate headquarters, professional service firms, and nonprofit organizations that regularly host leadership meetings and strategic sessions.
Forum & Social is currently accepting early reservation requests for gatherings planned in late 2026 and early 2027 across all five markets.
More information about the locations can be found at the following pages:
https://forumandsocial.com/atlanta
https://forumandsocial.com/jacksonville
https://forumandsocial.com/charlotte
https://forumandsocial.com/tampa
https://forumandsocial.com/orlando