City Spotlight on Winder: From Warehouse to WOW-house

Established in 1998, the Winder Community Center serves as a popular Barrow County site for everything from business meetings and corporate conferences to community events and public hearings to wedding receptions and family reunions.

Originally a sprawling warehouse owned by the Duck Head Apparel Company, the building and surrounding grounds were presented as a gift to the city of Winder by the traditional clothing manufacturer a little over a decade ago.

Thanks to the foresight and vision of then-Mayor Buddy Ouzts and the Winder City Council and the hard work and diligence of city employees, the facility was transformed into a tasteful, multi-purpose event venue that now boasts regular bookings throughout the year.

The community center — located adjacent to Veterans’ Memorial Park and the community picnic pavilion — is broken into three distinct areas for a wide range of events — The Boardroom, The Conference Room, and The Banquet Room.

For more intimate gatherings, The Boardroom fits the bill and seats up to 25 guests. For larger get-togethers, The Conference Room can accommodate a crowd of 75, and for more grand affairs, The Banquet Room provides plenty of space for groups as large as 300. The facility is also available for rent as a whole.

Of particular interest to caterers and event planners, the center’s kitchen houses a commercial refrigerator for chilled dishes and beverages and a commercial food warmer for hot tapas and entrees. The charm and beauty of the building’s original hardwood flooring serve as a great foundation for the stylish upholstered furnishings, elegant antiques, beautifully framed oil prints and graceful floral arrangements that adorn the halls of the center.

For more information about the Winder Community Center — including booking availability — contact Community Center Director Fawn Alexander by phone at 770-867-9011 or via e-mail. Office hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

Here are a handful of helpful links to aid you in planning your next event in Winder:

• Floor plan and dimensions of the Winder Community Center
• Rules and regulations for users of the Winder Community Center
• Winder Community Center fee schedule and lease agreement for Winder residents
• Winder Community Center fee schedule and lease agreement for Barrow County residents

Did you know that fans of Duck Head can still find their signature brand of classic twill shorts and pants, cotton pique polos, golf apparel and more for purchase online? Take a peek at the Duck Head Apparel Company website.

We've done a little "Spotlight Shuffle". City Spotlights on Winder have moved from Fridays to Thursdays. Different day, same great Spotlight. Check back every Thursday for a new City Spotlight on Winder.