Thirty-five miles north at The Work Commons in the historic Montgomery Ward building on Main Street in Newport, members are scattered throughout the second and third floor office spaces taking calls and meetings.
The Work Commons, created by Rick Woodard, and similar co-working spaces offer NEK community members, such as Cynthia Shelton of NEK GiGS INC, and visitors alike the option to drop in to a professional modern workspace with high speed internet and other professional amenities.
The Center on Rural Innovation, based in Hartland, Vt., and led by Executive Director Matt Dunne, has been developing and growing coworking spaces as a central part of CORI’s work with rural communities across the country.
“Coworking spaces are a key part of growing a thriving digital economy ecosystem,” said Dunne from a meeting in Washington, D.C. They create the density needed and help sustain rural downtowns as desirable places and spaces where virtuous collisions bring people and ideas together, generating new opportunities and collaborations that drive entrepreneurship.
The space attracts remote workers employed by companies based outside of Vermont and has an entrepreneurial focus.
These organizations have connected to the larger movement led by Monique E. Priestley from The Space on Main, a coworking and community space in Bradford.
All the spaces in Vermont and the Kingdom have found success through word of mouth and social media.
