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Coworking Space Makeshift Society Closing After A Year

Coworking Space Makeshift Society Closing After A Year
Fikriyyah George

No trend, or business is immune from the laws of supply and demand. Even with coworking’s booming growth throughout Brooklyn one of the latest coworking spaces is saying goodbye. Last week in a newsletter Makeshift Society founders Rena Tom and Bryan Boyer announced the coworking space will close on October 23. The Williamsburg paragon of creativity and entrepreneurship opened last year in May after successfully raising $32,000 during a Kickstarter campaign.

11800459_809953682457985_7851093731775685229_nThere were many reasons behind the closing, many explicit (expensive real estate) and others implicit (lagging membership) according to the cofounding duo. One of them being a common mistake with entrepreneurs- ill product market fit. In a blog post explaining the closure, they deduced Brooklynites want 24-7 access as well as private offices instead of the 9-7 schedule and open layout Makeshift Society currently offers.

Seeing as how most coworking spaces in Brooklyn are open layout and still operating, it would be more accurate to say that entrepreneurs drawn to Williasmburg, not ALL of Brooklyn, prefer offices with four walls over open space shared by many. While most of Brooklyn’s coworking places feature modern, airy architecture the largest concentration of non-open layouts reside in the Billy Burg- Green Desk, The Bakery, and The Yard all have small to medium offices.

The founders are looking to alternatives to keeping the space open such as acting as host to a medium-sized startup looking for a headquarters reminiscent of how LiveStream took over the space once occupied by Third Ward. Speaking of which like the kid who grows up watching their Dad drink too much they’re taking a conscientious step to not to be assholes and inform their members of the closure beforehand.

Even with operations winding down MS Brooklyn is looking “for a friendly, engaging problem solver to help our staff” until they close their doors at 7pm on October 23.

Not exactly a going out of business sale, but they are offering a two months of flex and membership for the price of one.

 

All classes and workshops from now until October are still scheduled. Day Passes are still being honored and despite the big trouble in little Brooklyn the original branch in San Francisco continues to be viable after three years.

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