The Factory has been the premier coworking space in Grand Rapids since 2009. We’re proud to have been an ongoing staple of the Western Michigan startup and small-business community.
We enjoy providing updates on the coworking market as we’re seeing it. The pandemic disrupted the traditional office ecosystem and we’ve had to adapt along with it. We’ve been here a long time and we’ll continue to be here for a long time. Below are the top issues we’re seeing in the coworking right now.
Community
The Factory is much more than just a coworking space. While other coworking options might offer a desk or office space where you can get your work done, we pride ourselves in the community that we’ve built over the past decade plus. When you decide to become a member of The Factory, you should expect to be treated as a welcome part of a growing group of entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and independent workers. Our membership includes a smattering of everything: software engineers, architects, non-profit administrators, accounting professionals, logistics services providers, lawyers, and students.
Work From Home
We hear from many folks who have been working from home and need to get out and be social again. This isn’t the place to congregate around the water cooler and complain about upper management. Everyone at The Factory wants to be here. We regularly put together social events to encourage our members to meet each other and get talking. Discussing the topic of the day and networking with other professionals is the norm. Is networking not your thing? We welcome lounging at the couch and working on your laptop as well. We respect your space and encourage moving around to get comfortable.
Off-Site Meetings
An important area we’re seeing growth is companies booking conference rooms for off-site meetings or meetings of company associates where there is no local office space anymore. We’ve seen many companies close or significantly reduce their local office footprint, so we’ve been able to pick up that slack and offer meeting space for groups of two to fifteen people. We provide the space and all the amenities you might need, such as A/V equipment, video-conference technology (Zoom or Microsoft Teams), refreshments, and catering. Membership is not required, and our conference rooms are available to book either by the half day or full day.
Private Offices
We’ve had a lot of interest in private offices (also referred to as executive offices). As we mentioned above, many companies have reduced or closed their office spaces, so we’ve had a lot of interest from individuals who still want their own dedicated office space, but don’t want to take on a long-term lease or pay for tenant improvements. We offer private offices that fit between one and four people. Office memberships are month-to-month and include 24/7 access and all the other benefits and amenities of our traditional memberships.
The Future of The Factory
We’re excited to continue to adapt to the evolving business environment. If you’re interested in checking us out, we encourage you to stop in for a tour.