Hey folks,
I have exciting news and a question.
We’ve been looking for a way to engage local small-scale manufacturers and artisans with our coworking space, and encourage shopping locally. When the ground floor and basement of our building opened up, we quickly realised what that could look like.
We started a new membership level for artisans, manufacturers, designers, artists, and makers to be members of our coworking space and use parts of the building for what they need.
Last week we launched the Camaraderie Artisan Market. It’s a permanent retail store specifically for artisans and manufacturers. Members pay a monthly membership fee to have their goods sold in the market, which we staff and manage entirely, and we don’t take a commission on their sales (because we already charge them a monthly membership fee and won’t double dip). With their membership they can also use the basement to produce their goods, and use the 2nd and 3rd floor of the building for meetings with buyers, staff interviews, administration of their business, and collaboration with what are now our more traditional coworking members. It really is an all-inclusive use of the building and a way for us to celebrate local artisans in a collaborative way. And it’s pretty rad!
If you’re in town for GCUC Canada next month, I encourage you to come by for some shopping and I’ll chat with the artisans to see if we can offer a store-wide discount to conference attendees.
And so my question: I know of coworking spaces with makerspaces for makers to make goods and prototypes, and I know of coworking spaces for artists with artist studios, and I know of coworking spaces with cafes. But are there any other coworking spaces with retail for physical goods? I’m particularly curious if there are coworking spaces with retail like this that are exclusively for the members of their space. Anyone know of any?
r.
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rachel youngrac…@camaraderie.ca
We’re located at 2241 Dundas St W, 3rd floor
(between Bloor and Roncesvalles)
Find us online:
Website/blog and Newsletter, Twitter,
Facebook, Google+, Yelp, and LinkedIn
New Camaraderie locations:
Artisan Market (Toronto) - now open!
Port Credit (Mississauga) - summer 2015
We’re a proud member of CoworkingToronto,