Showfields — a startup that helps online brands break into brick-and-mortar retail — has opened a free coworking space in its building in Noho, New York.
Tal Zvi Nathanel, the CEO and founder of Showfields, said: “This is not a WeWork, we’re not planning on competing with WeWork. This is like a coworking meditation space.”
The 1,000 square foot space is based on the fourth floor of the Bond Street building, and is open at specific times throughout the week for anybody who signs up for Showfields’ newsletter.
Showfields isn’t the first to blend coworking with retail. Shopping centers and malls around the world have started to add shared workspaces in vacant stores. But according to Nathanel, this isn’t about increasing footfall to the store; it’s about building a community, which will be critical “to the next phase of retail.”
“It’s not about the business models for us, it’s about what we think is needed to move forward,” he said. “It’s really about the space serving the needs of our community.”
