PITTSBORO — Coworking sites across the country are shuttering as pandemic restrictions and social wariness over shared spaces discourage new membership. But Pittsboro’s Perch Coworking is plugging along, buttressed by a commitment to safety and a devoted community.
In 2019, coworking was a hot concept. DeskMag, an online magazine about coworking, estimated that by end of year, 2.2 million people would share coworking spaces around the world, up from 1.7 million in 2018.
Then the coronavirus pandemic struck. Overnight, it seemed, the notion of community workspaces was stigmatized.
Lingering public apprehension is reflected in gloomy figures: 2020 has, so far, seen a -12.9% growth rate in the coworking spaces market, according to Business Wire. “Operators of coworking spaces have seen an almost 50% decline in footfalls,” the article reported. Many coworking sites have closed their doors as a result.
Among the casualties was Perch’s original location in Carrboro. The downtown workspace, which had served 50 to 60 members, according to Perch founder Betsey Elbogen, was forced to close its doors in August.
“It was just too expensive,” she said. “It’s kind of challenging to have a co-working space during these times because what a coworking space is, is bringing together a community, right? That’s why you come here.”
In the same month, however, Perch’s Pittsboro location at 102 Hillsboro St. opened for business. Renovations of the downtown building completed in March, but plans for a ribbon-cutting were derailed by pandemic restrictions.
“There was no grand opening,” Elbogen said, “or soft opening. It was just an opening — nothing like we had imagined.”
Still, Perch Pittsboro is overcoming the odds and negotiating pandemic vicissitudes. Part of the location’s success, Elbogen hypothesized, is in its “boutique” model.
“We really concentrate on our members and our community,” she said. “And I know, that’s like a big catchphrase for coworking — community. But really, it is our community. We’re a small space and our members make our space. If it wasn’t for them, it would be nothing.”
Perch members include an architect, an editorial business and, as of last week, the Chatham County Chamber of Commerce which will be renting a suite as its second office.
“Betsey has been the best of the best,” said Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Cindy Poindexter. “She’s been very accommodating; she’s just wonderful. I think the space will serve us well.”
The coworking space has just 11 members right now, but the building is not designed to hold many more. The 2,000 square-foot space has 12 personal desks which individuals can rent for $275 a month, three private office suites for $500 a month and a conference room that can be reserved by the hour. Cafe style seating is also available for $175 a month and Elbogen recently added two soundproof “phone booths” from ROOM NYC where members can take phone calls and virtual meetings away from the din of open space.
“I think we really nailed the aesthetic,” Elbogen said. “When you come in, you want to feel like, ‘Ah, this is a great place to work,’ right? You want natural light; you want plants. Because why would you come here if it was just going to be in a dingy dark space?”
But looks are not the end-all these days. Perch members require the highest standards of safety if they are to keep working there while a pandemic continues, and Elbogen is happy to oblige.
“We’re very cautious of who’s coming in, because we want to have a safe environment,” she said. “We’ve got a HEPA filter and we constantly disinfect the high traffic areas throughout the day.”
Elbogen is confident her business model will continue to appeal to prospective members. Many workers who thrive in office settings have been forced to work from home and they are suffering from the isolation. Eventually, she thinks, those workers will make their way to a coworking site.
“I think people eventually are never going to want to work at home again, or they’re going to change the way they want to work,” she said. “They may not go to the office, but they do want to have a place to work. It’s just different than working from your bedroom, or your closet, right? Because really, when you come here, you’re away from your home, and your mindset is different. You can be productive. You’re not worrying about the dishes, or your kids, or the barking dog. You can just have this dedicated time to work.”
The future is promising but tenuous for Perch as the pandemic drags on toward its indeterminate end. For now, the business model is working and operations are stable. But small business ownership is a shaky proposition in a coronavirus world.
“The future is — I don’t know,” Elbogen said, “I think for us it’s week by week. But I do have to say, coming here in this beautiful space, it makes everything better.”
Reporter D. Lars Dolder can be reached at dldolder@chathamnr.com.