Coworking has proven to be more than just a fad, as WeWork turns into a global empire and regional operators expand their fields of influence, but it has lost the scrappy underdog feel that made it appeal to its first members.
“When we started, [our membership] was a lot more startups, and as time went on, we’ve seen nonprofits and companies that just don’t see the need to take their own space,” The Yard founder Morris Levy said. “It definitely expanded; we have financial companies with us, attorneys, accountants — it’s really the full gamut today.”
The idea that some operators have gone corporate is part of what led Christopher Plant to found Kismet, a "21st century community center for people who want to get things done," as Plant put it.
Kismet opened its second location April 1 at 448 North 10th St., a six-story office building owned by Arts & Crafts Holdings in Philadelphia's Spring Arts district. Its first location is in Chestnut Hill, and Plant is working toward a third location in Manayunk. His decision to focus on "tertiary markets" comes from a desire to serve members who may not feel suited to the Center City atmosphere.
"Here, it's easier to maintain the sort of intimacy you don't get from, say, The Yard or MakeOffices," Plant said.
Through his day job as director of commercial real estate for Elfant Wissahickon Realtors, Plant discovered the Spring Arts neighborhood and Arts & Crafts. He helped broker the lease for Love City Brewing, which recently opened just around the corner on Hamilton Street, and in doing so identified an opportunity for Kismet's first expansion.
Plant signed a seven-year lease with an option for a five-year extension for 6K SF on the top floor of 440 North 10th, and has already encountered substantial interest from area workers without offering memberships at discounted rates to the industry standards. He estimates that Kismet will hit its capacity of 110 members within six months.