A Place of Their Own
Columbus' vibrant co-work community
By Josh Fitzwater |
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Attention all freelance designers, moonlighting writers, ad hoc PR gurus, start-up advertisers, web and logo pushers, entrepreneurial anybodies: your days as an independent work-from-home do-it-yourselfer are numbered. Well, that is, if you want them to be.
With the recent boom of communal co-work operations in Columbus, the life of a freelancer has gone from sitting in your p.j.'s all day picking food out of your keyboard, to having an office in one of the most creativity-inducing work environments in the city.
Never heard of the whole co-work concept before?
Fear not, little indie capitalist - you are not alone. Co-working is a relatively new and innovative idea sweeping across the globe, and it has hit Columbus head-on like the take-charge autonomous epiphany it is.
Neal Roberts, owner of Qwirk Columbus, describes the uniqueness of a co-work space by saying, "It is a cooperative approach to a work atmosphere that is specifically designed for freelancers, independents, your typical work-from-homers - and gives them the tools and office environment needed to succeed at a price-point that makes sense."
The idea is overwhelmingly simple and yet a bit revolutionary at the same time. You buy an office (preferably in a hip/attractive/sexy location), make the office very sleek and modern, take like-minded freelancers and give them space in the aforementioned office, provide everything a small business would need to take off, and charge a low monthly membership fee to the freelancers for the space.
The end result creates a community of compatible, well-matched independent professionals that are able to work together, bounce ideas off each other, and more importantly, have a clear distinction between work life and home life.
Since the early part of this year, Columbus has seen an assortment of co-working establishments hang their shingles all across town. The past six months have seen places like the Indie House Collective, Qwirk, and Sandbox blazing the independent path for the future of people who are their own bosses and want nothing to do with 'the Man.'
Most of these facilities offer relatively similar basic amenities to members.
$250 - $375/month will get you an office to call home, a 'dedicated desk,' Wi-Fi service, meeting and conference rooms, a gourmet espresso machine, top-of-the-line printers and faxes, lounge areas with sleek comfy couches and flat-screen TVs, and bragging rights to anyone you meet that you almost certainly work in a way-cooler office than they do.
The incredible thing about this surge of co-working organizations is that each 'community office' has its own flavor and vibe. Sandbox, Qwirk, and Indie House Collective all offer a different slant and definition of a work environment and will appeal to a variety of imaginative go-getters. Options are good to have when incalculable intangibles, such as creative juices, are on the line.
Indie House Collective located in Olde Town East
Photo: Patrick Mizenko
Indie House Collective
Indie House Collective sets up shop at 65 Parsons Avenue in a revamped part of Old Towne East. Owner, freelancer, and "creative allocator" Anthony Dempsey differentiates his business from the rest of the pack by actually promoting the freelancers that hang their hats at Indie House.
"The goal is to get people work," proclaims Dempsey.
"I help let the public and businesses know about the great talent that is working here and what they can do for them," he said, adding that, with many of his clients being members of the "creative industry," they were cheaper than agencies doing the same work.
"We are able to produce professional, high-quality work at a fraction of the normal cost," said Dempsey.
Indie House Collective
Anthony Dempsey - anthony@workindie.com
65 Parsons Ave.
(614) 323-4712
www.indiehousecollective.com
Sandbox
Sandbox aesthetically and conceptually is in a league of its own. The place is like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for creative entrepreneurs - only instead of tasty treats, you will find an actual sandbox filled with one ton of sand, a hammock, Nintendo Wii, free beer on tap for all its members, your own high powered Mac, and a fleet of bicycles for cruising the streets of the Short North.
Downtown Sandbox location
Photo: Patrick Mizenko
Tucked away off the beaten path at 851 Pearl St., Sandbox's facade is made almost entirely of glass, exposed metal beams, and brick. Taking a client there for a meeting, no matter what you are selling, will most likely result in one of two outcomes: One, you will close them in 10 minutes and have a new lucrative deal. Two, they will be so jealous of how cool you are that they will punch you in the face... but will still wind up giving you the new and lucrative deal.
Either way, you win.
This place is best suited for the trendy, avant-garde, free-wheelin' thinker that likes to mix work with play. All the offices and desks reside in an open floor format - so, if you need peace and quiet, you may want to look elsewhere. But for $225-$375 a month, you'll be getting one of the coolest work environments around.
Sandbox
David Hunegnawon - david@sandboxcolumbus.com
851 Pearl St.
(614) 282-4450
www.sandboxcolumbus.com
Qwirk
What Qwirk offers is some separation to your co-work experience. Not every creative businessman is a blabbering social butterfly. Some people (myself included) need a quiet nook to be able to concentrate and work. Qwirk boasts 14 individual offices that can accommodate either one or two workers, yet still has the open and accessible atmosphere that bolsters a quality brainstorming session with your peers.
The meeting room at Qwirk on Third St.
Photo: Patrick Mizenko
Located at 595 South Third Street, Qwirk is for the freelancer with a lot on their plate.
For all the creative minds Sandbox, Indie House Collective, and Qwirk are pilfering from the local community, they are giving back just as much.
"We want to pull the actual community a little closer. It's not about a desk, or a space, or a computer," said Sandbox visionary David Hunegnaw. "We want to have resources together for the people in Columbus."
Qwirk
Neal Roberts - neal@quirkcolumbus.com
595 S Third St.
(614) 754-8490
www.qwirkcolumbus.com
All three operations are deeply invested in the overall well-being and cultivation of Columbus. On any given night, you might find Sandbox holding a fundraising event for Mayor Coleman or Governor Strickland, Indie House Collective sponsoring a rock festival showcasing Columbus musicians, or Qwirk lending their own wall space to local artists for gallery space. Whether you are a graphic designer or a rogue attorney, Qwirk, Indie House Collective, and Sandbox each have a space that can fit your needs and personality type. With all three offering full-time, part-time, and day-to-day membership rates, you can affordably have an office and walk a little prouder, no matter what stage of the entrepreneurial game you are in.
Originally Published: October 1, 2009
