By Gina Horan
Leesburg’s The Warehouse Shuts Down After Years of Community Service
The Warehouse in Leesburg has closed its doors for good.
What started as the social club of the Military Fire Police Support Association became a place where friends and supporters of the first responder community gathered, connected and built lasting memories, all in support of a nonprofit dedicated to protecting those who protect us, past and present.
The partnership behind the club was rooted in service, with Johnny Nave, a former police officer, and John Sokol, a retired firefighter who also owns Chicago Fire Pizza and Brewery in Leesburg.
“We started this in 2019 with a vision to really help out the community,” John says. “And, truly, in the six years we have been here, I believe we’ve done that.”
The club operated under a special liquor license that allowed it to sell alcohol while functioning as a community gathering space and fundraising arm of the nonprofit. From the beginning, the structure was intentional: the club existed to support the mission of the MFPSA, a 501(c)(3), not to operate as a traditional bar.
The Warehouse opened in time for its first Bikefest and was initially intended as a temporary party space. By July 4 of that first year, it had already become something more.
“We always thought of the fireworks being there just for us,” John says.
During COVID, it became a place people leaned on when much of the world shut down. When restrictions lifted, the space evolved again, becoming a popular music venue that booked award-winning bands.
“We had about 1,000 members,” John says. “Which was fun and also a challenge.”
Like many independent venues, The Warehouse eventually faced rising costs and changing consumer habits. Food and alcohol prices increased, competition grew, and people started to drink less. Combined with higher operating costs and increased local competition, sustainability became increasingly difficult.
Despite the pressure, John says he never took a salary and personally covered expenses because he believed in the mission and what the space meant to the community. On New Year’s Eve of 2025, what should have been the busiest night of the year, the low turnout forced the tough decision to close the venue.
For Johnny, the legacy is measured in relationships. He reflects on the friendships built through The Warehouse, particularly with founding member Steve Whitehurst and his wife, Tammy. Steve later passed away from cancer.
“Any time we had a fundraiser, Steve and his wife would show up,” Johnny says. “As his illness progressed, we were able to relieve the family of its own financial burden. That really got to me.”
Johnny has recently been diagnosed with cancer himself and says he understands firsthand how hard it can be without support.
“The friends and priceless relationships I have made were so important to me,” he says. His son even met his future wife right there at the bar.
Johnny and John acknowledge that there were naysayers over the years, which was hurtful and disheartening. “We have always been an open book with everything,” Johnny says.
Over the years, The Warehouse gave back in tangible ways, including National Night Out events, more than $6,000 raised for Save Our Soldiers in Umatilla, support for Melon Patch Theatre, work connected to the Ocala National Forest, and donations of equipment, liquor and supplies to nonprofits whenever possible.
Today, MFPSA continues its work through focused fundraising and community projects supporting Ashley’s House, the Bradley Link Foundation, veteran outreach programs, and autism initiatives, including Bikes and BBQ 4 Autism with Gator Harley. The organization now concentrates on one or two major fundraising events each year, with the next scheduled for April 4.
Melissa Hampton, the newest board member, sees the transition as an opportunity to refocus. A paralegal by trade, she says her decision to join the board aligned naturally with her career and her support of first responders.
“I think the focus has been getting the money back into first responders’ hands and cutting the overhead,” Melissa says. “Instead of showing up every day in a bar, you can go to a fundraiser and see them face to face and bring everyone together.”
With renewed energy from the current board, Johnny says there is a sense of momentum again.
“The Warehouse wasn’t just a bar,” he says. “It was a place where community showed up.”
“This was tough,” John says as he locks the door for the final time. “The building may be closed, but the mission will live on.”
Photos: Gina Horan & provided
Gina moved to Central Florida in August 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a degree in linguistics and worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist lifestyle columnist and food writer for the Knight Ridder Newspaper Group. She also covered and photographed music festivals, fashion shows and sports throughout Northern California. In 2000, she joined KSAN radio as a morning show co-host and produced the news and sports content there for four years. She later covered travel, events and the restaurant scene for KRON-Bay TV. A veteran bartender, Gina has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. She has been with Akers Media since 2022 and hosts the Healthy Living Central Florida podcast. Her passions include travel, road trips, baseball, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map or guidebook.
