St. Joseph, Missouri’s entrepreneurial scene is about to have one of their top wishes granted with the upcoming opening of CoJoe, an innovative co-working space located in historic downtown St. Joseph. An opening reception will be held at CoJoe from 4 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 31.
Planners describe CoJoe as a fully-functional workspace designed to be shared by entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-ups and remote workers who understand the value of community and collaboration.
“To have a growing local economy you must have a vibrant entrepreneurial culture,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, which spearheaded the CoJoe endeavor. “The co-working space provides the environment and connectivity to support and grow entrepreneurs in St. Joseph.”
The Chamber, as well as a group of local entrepreneurs, small business owners and officials from Missouri Western State University’s Craig School of Business, the City of St. Joseph and Innovation Stockyard, have been involved in CoJoe’s planning.
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“In 2014, St. Joseph was named No. 5 in the nation for startups by the U.S. Census Bureau,” said Kristie Arthur, Director of Workforce Development for the Chamber. “We’ve been researching ways to bring a coworking space to St. Joseph ever since and are happy that it’s about to open.”
Planners used coworking spaces in cities of similar size as a guide for planning CoJoe. They hope that the space will become an alternative option to mobile workers and those maintaining private offices, as well as an alternative to the distractions of working from home or a public space.
CoJoe boasts perks such as meeting spaces, high-speed internet, copy machines, a kitchenette, coffee and a place to participate in a work community that fosters cooperation.
Rental options include table space in an open coworking space or private, furnished offices on a month-to-month or long-term basis.
Email cojoe@stjoseph.com for more information.
