Most of the coworking spaces in Columbus are concentrated in the urban core area in and around downtown, but a new venture will bring the flexible workspace advantageous to entrepreneurs and small business owners outside of the loop and into Grove City. Cultivate is aiming for a fall opening at 3989 Broadway in the heart of Grove City’s historic district.
“It’s something that’s really needed down here,” says Cultivate Owner Matt Yerkes. A serial entrepreneur himself, Yerkes opened his first software company in 2001 and wished there had been a coworking space in the area.
Cultivate will occupy 8,000 square feet of historic space that will house between 30 and 40 coworking individuals. Twenty six individual spots will be available with 15 larger pod spaces that could provide a more executive-type workspace or house a small team.
Four rate plans accommodate the occasional worker to the full-timer. For $65/month, individuals can drop in as needed with a non-dedicated desk. $150/month earns a dedicated desk. Mini-pods for an executive space or small team are $350/month and large, team-sized pods are $450/month.
Yerkes says Cultivate will have the traditional coworking amenities – free WiFi, printer/copier, coffee, etc.
“We have excellent and ample free public parking adjacent to the building,” he adds.
The space’s location in the historic downtown districts puts it within walking distance to a number of bars and restaurants.
“There’s also a brand new library that’s being built at the end of our block,” Yerkes says. Resources and another space to work are just a short walk away.
The coworking space is another in the many revitalizations that Yerkes says have been happening in Grove City over the last five years. The city has provided a number of incentives to encourage small business owners, incentives Cultivate coworkers can utilize.
The Town Center Loan Program provides smaller loans from $5,000 to $150,00 to eligible businesses in the city’s center at a rate of three percent. A grant program matches up to $10,000 in upgrades that a business owner makes to their space (signage, awnings, electrical, etc.).
“That’s an awesome benefit for a small business,” Yerkes says.
He’s also excited to leverage his entrepreneurial experience as a resource for small business owners working out of Cultivate.
“I’m actually eager to help provide some coaching to startups,” Yerkes says.
Other training opportunities and classes make Cultivate more than just a space.
“We’ll have a space in Cultivate itself where we can have different business luncheons and workshops,” Yerkes says. Venue62 next door provides an additional area for training and events.
Yerkes has had some coaching himself in developing Cultivate into the resource he wants it to be.
“We’ve really had some great input from Rev1 ventures,” he says. “They’ve been a big help to coaching us on some of these things.”
For updates, visit cultivatesmb.com.
