Pullman Yards Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary

With a Hollywood set-type vision and unleashed creativity, Adam Rosenfelt and Maureen Meulen felt a pull to do something innovative in Atlanta. This husband-and-wife power couple, who previously had been successful in the movie world as producers and visionaries, were in search of their own field of dreams.

In 2017, they acquired Pullman Yards, a 27-acre historic property situated on the edges of Kirkwood and Edgewood. Rosenfelt shared, “We moved to Atlanta two weeks later after buying it from the state of Georgia. The state had put out a public bid for the property, and we were selected to have the rights and purchase it.”

While it was love at first sight thanks to the unique and distinctive character of the buildings, the property was in desperate need of TLC. Rosenfelt said, “It was completely dilapidated and essentially abandoned and neglected for decades. Entire buildings had to be rehabilitated and put back together. There was no civil infrastructure whatsoever, including water, sewer, electricity, plumbing, and fire lines. We had to start from the beginning.”

With the finesse of determined entrepreneurs, they envisioned something spectacular for Atlanta. Fast forward to today, the 13 historic buildings were all rebuilt and serve as high-end event centers, including two restaurants and a top-of-the-line catering kitchen. They are celebrating their fifth anniversary in business as a premier production and event space.

Pullman Yards was built in 1904 by Pratt Engineering and later expanded in 1926 by the Pullman Company as a railcar repair facility. In 2017, Adam and Maureen’s company, Atomic Entertainment, was the ideal present-day match. They reimagined Pullman Yards as a cultural and entertainment destination, hosting marquee global exhibitions and experiences from the Balloon Museum to “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” along with large-scale productions and events for leading global brands.

Rosenfelt commented, “After many years working as a film producer and visiting various cities on location, Maureen and I had the idea for what we termed a ‘Creative City,’ essentially a mixed-use development in which the tenants are primarily drawn from the creative and cultural economies rather than traditional office and retail tenants exclusively. For our fifth anniversary, we wanted to present an experience for the whole family that captures the essence of Pullman Yards while showcasing the most compelling aspects of some of our best-known exhibitions. The Toy Factory embodies Pullman’s Industrial Revolution roots and our present-day digital revolution, designed for all families to enjoy.”

Created by a company called Dirty Monitor, the international, critically acclaimed creative studio that pioneered innovative exhibits, the partnership with the property represents a marquee return of two leaders in the experiential exhibit arena.

Toy Factory invites guests behind the scenes to discover the mysteries of this fun factory filled with joy, laughter, and wonder. You begin your journey with a kid-sized roadmap that gets embossed along the way. It’s filled with interactive activities and technological blends with captivating sets. Inside, projections wrap the walls and tower overhead. A 360-degree interactive room encourages soft balls thrown at the walls that light up as if you are painting with colorful lights. An additional toy making opportunity allows children to fill and stuff an animal or character — consider it a memorable gift to take home and love. Your journey ends with the opportunity for kids to jump into a massive ball pit with a slide and parental supervision is thoughtfully advised.

As far as what else will be pulling into Pullman Yard’s dynamic event spaces, Rosenfelt shared, “We have several high-profile events this fall along with some cool exhibitions opening. Our enthusiasm is driven by bringing in events and exhibits that, in many cases, are not only the first time in Atlanta, but also the first time in the U.S., seeing people’s reactions and smiles as they experience what we work so hard to present.”

Toy Factory, presented by Pullman Yards, runs through the end of the year, before continuing a North American tour and delighting children of all ages countrywide. Tickets are officially on sale with add-on options for enhanced experiences and refreshments. For the most up-to-date information on experiences on the Pullman Yards complex located at 225 Rogers St. NE, visit www.PullmanYards.com.