By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
Most businesses celebrate their new beginnings with a ribbon cutting, open house and shared hors d’oeuvres. The coronavirus pandemic has put the kibosh on the mingling and munching, but Shelley Hoffman’s Heart, Home and Community is opening the virtual doors to the B-Share co-work space at 8220 Loop Road, where it shares a building with Lysander Town Hall.
COVID-19 has stifled one of Hoffman’s favorite aspects about Baldwinsville: gathering as a community. She recalled the 2019 open house for one of her other business ventures, 315 Realty Partners, which she owns with Tracey Schumacher Kline.
“Tracey and I had almost 250 people come through,” Hoffman said. “When opening a new business during COVID, you have to rethink everything. How do you invite people to an open house that you don’t actually want to show up?”
As COVID-19 cases spiked in Central New York, Hoffman decided to postpone the open house for B-Share to next spring or summer. In the meantime, she has decided to hold a virtual walk-through on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn and is offering interested professionals private tours of the co-work space. The B-Share space is also a drop-off location for nonperishable food donations for the Baldwinsville Kiwanis Turkey Day Race, so people can pop in to see the office when they bring their donations.
A co-work space is a flexible office arrangement in which people pay a membership fee to use a facility and its amenities. Hoffman said a co-working membership is a cost-saving alternative to leasing office space and can provide a change of scenery for people who work from home.
“[It’s good] if you’re not sure how often you’re going to use an office … or if you just want to get out of your house,” she said.
B-Share memberships include weekday access to individual work stations, Wi-Fi, printing, a private telephone booth, coffee and snacks, and the ability to book the community room and recording studio at HHC’s main office at 12 Oswego St. in the village of Baldwinsville.
“The B-share is set up like a gym membership, so you join for a monthly cost,” Hoffman explained.
And just like a gym, especially in the time of coronavirus, members are expected to disinfect their space and equipment before and after use. Gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes are available for each B-Share member. The desks are spaced six feet apart and members must wear masks if they leave their workspace to make copies, grab some coffee or answer a phone call.
Speaking of phone calls, Hoffman has installed a vintage telephone booth for members to conduct their calls in private. She found the 1,200-pound red booth on Facebook Marketplace and enlisted Mike Cerio and Sons Moving and Storage to haul it to the B-Share office.
While social distancing is key to stopping the spread of COVID-19, professionals who use the B-Share space can still make connections from six feet away.
“Co-working spaces are nice for networking with other professionals,” said Lauren Russett of RUSSETT PR, who revamped the Heart, Home and Community website and helped develop the B-Share brand.
Memberships open in January 2021, but early birds who apply in the coming weeks can get December access for free.
B-Share already has registered its first member: Rob Just of Main Street Wealth Management.
“He thinks it’s important to be part of the community and business development in Baldwinsville,” Hoffman said. “Without the community support, something like this cannot survive.”
Monthly B-Share memberships are $175 on a month-to-month basis, but members who sign a six-month commitment pay $150 a month. Prospective members must fill out an application and memberships are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit hearthomeandcommunity.com to apply. To book a private tour of the B-Share business and development workspace, email [email protected].
