Macon’s first rock climbing gym has an opening date. Why building is special for owners

A long-anticipated rock climbing gym is set to open this month in downtown Macon.

Macon Rocks Climbing Gym will open to the general public on March 22, with an early-bird night for people who’ve signed up for an early membership, said co-owner Bryan Nichols.

“It means a lot to me because these buildings were going to be condemned, knocked down and we stepped in five years ago to save them because of the history,” he said. “We also tried to solve the problem of bringing family friendly stuff to downtown, and so this just seemed like the perfect fit. To finally get open to me means way more than finally being done with the gym.”

The project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic that slowed getting materials and supplies and created uncertainty about whether to continue forward or to slow down a bit to wait and see what was going to happen, Nichols said.

Nichols and his business partner Kevin Reaves co-own the rock climbing gym at 527 D T Walton Sr. Way (formerly Cotton Avenue) and Taste & See Coffee Shop & Gallery at 546 Poplar St.

Black history

The rock climbing gym is housed within two of four buildings they purchased side-by-side along D.T. Walton Sr. Way in the Cotton Avenue District.

The gym is within two renovated buildings that once housed the Melba Lodge in the Black historic district, said Nichols, who owns several lofts in downtown Macon and who’s behind the Main Street Christmas Light Show Extravaganza.

“If you owned a Black business, you could only be in that couple-of-block range right there ... There’s been a ton of stuff in those places over the years, but so many of the buildings that had the Black businesses have all been torn down. So, there’s very little of that history left building wise,” Nichols said.

“So for us to step in and keep them from demolition and to save the history of those buildings, it just meant a lot to me. Every building I’ve done downtown has been a historic preservation project.”

Beside what is now the rock climbing gym were once Capricorn offices that music legend Otis Redding bought when he first got started and where his fan club was located, Nichols said.

“We plan on expanding the gym into the old Capricorn offices and making it bigger in the next phase, so they’ll be more climbing eventually,” he said. “But we want to get this one open first.”

One of a kind

Macon Rocks Climbing Gym is billed as the only one of its kind in Middle Georgia. Other facilities may have a rock-climbing wall, but the nearest similar rock climbing gym is in Peachtree City in south metro Atlanta, Nichols said.

Macon Rocks features a large amount of top rope, bouldering, auto belays and lead routes. The routes are designed for all skill levels from beginner to experienced. Classes by experienced coaches are also offered.

The tallest part of the climbing wall is 39 feet high, Nichols said.

While primarily a climbing gym, Macon Rocks also offers a 24-hour fitness area. Showers and changing rooms are on site.

There’s also a party room available for rental.

Day passes and different types of memberships, including an option for those who only want to use the fitness area, are available.

Climbing memberships offer perks like a monthly, free buddy pass and different discounts on merchandise such as shoes and harnesses and on different events like classes or member-only nights, Nichols said.

Operating hours for the climbing gym will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sundays. Most everything from membership purchases to reservations for a birthday party can be done online, Nichols said. The telephone number is 478- 216-5941.

This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM.