We’re excited to introduce you to Back Office Studio, a new coworking space in Ypsilanti “Ypsi”, Michigan. Complete with a pool table, foosball, and an actual nap room, this coworking space is exactly what the community of Ypsilanti has been waiting for. Here’s what community manager John Newman has to say about the space.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
We opened on Dec 3, 2018. We purchased our building in 2015 and completely renovated it, including adding a new roof, replacing the windows and storefront, and completely remodeling the interior of the 9,000 square-foot space. The building is 150 years old and has been vacant for 8 years.
Our sister company, Sensei Change Associates, LLC, was looking for a new home and the owners decided instead of renting office space, to purchase a building and create a coworking center. Our building in Ypsilanti, MI is the perfect location in a neighborhood that is mid-revitalization. We are at least the eighth new business to open in a two-block area of Washington Street in the last two years, and [we are] looking forward to adding to the positive momentum of the downtown area.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
One of my favorite parts of managing a coworking space is fostering connections between members, and between members and the larger community. In the last three weeks, we have hosted many events, several with 100 or more attendees, including an annual fundraiser for a local theater group, an entrepreneurial pitch competition, and a gala for a prominent non-profit.
Tell us about your members and what makes them special.
Members at the Back Office Studio come from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries. We have a pastor of a local church that needs additional space for administration and programming, remote workers for out-of-state higher education and municipalities, and several in the arts, photography or film industries.
