With eye toward fostering creativity, new Bellefonte coworking space opens
A new space for coworking and events is open in downtown Bellefonte.
Studio 1795, 122 S. Allegheny St. No. 2, is the latest project of Ellen Matis’, board president of Downtown Bellefonte Inc. and founder of social media company Hello Social Co.
Matis, who moved to Bellefonte three years ago, said she always knew she wanted to run a business out of a coworking space.
She started out as a member of SpringBoard, Bellefonte’s business incubator, in 2017. Then, she quickly took over managing the operation, became board president of Downtown Bellefonte Inc. and started her own social media consulting business. Now, she’s using her latest venture to combine all three.
“I’ve just always been about community, collaboration, and a coworking space just really lends itself to that,” she said.
SpringBoard, which offered business consulting and bookable work space at South Water Street in Bellefonte, is now moving to Studio 1795. The new space will primarily serve as open coworking space that also houses Hello Social Co. and the headquarters of Downtown Bellefonte Inc.
Matis said that after some discussion, SpringBoard’s leadership decided its bookable cubicle setup, location on a busy road with no crosswalks and mission to create startups that would eventually move to downtown storefronts needed to be tweaked.
“This is meant to be more home-like,” she said. “I’ve found over the past few years that we’re not necessarily attracting the next big tech startup. We’re attracting graphic designers and freelancers and writers. And those creative types, I think, thrive more on the home-like design.”
Commissioner Mark Higgins echoed that, praising Matis’s interest in growing Bellefonte’s small businesses and talent for cooperation. Having Bellefonte business organizations in a space meant to encourage collaboration and growth is only positive for the area, he said, while saving money for the county on a smaller space.
SpringBoard will continue to offer consulting and resources to business owners and new entrepreneurs, while the coworking portion of the incubator will be offered through Studio 1795, Matis said. The biggest difference, she said, is that members won’t have assigned, bookable space.
At Studio 1795 — named for the year Bellefonte was founded — long communal tables fill a brightly lit open concept room leading to a kitchen featuring shiny, new appliances. The walls are painted a bright, clean white, which reflects light from large, Victorian-style windows that face downtown Bellefonte’s main drag.
For co-workers of all levels, Studio 1795 offers drop-in, biweekly and Monday-Friday membership levels, for $10, $65 and $145 a month. The space is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and members have access to all kitchen amenities, high-speed internet, printing, private meeting spaces and business resources.
Matis had the idea for Studio 1795 before moving to Bellefonte, but now says she couldn’t see the project operating anywhere else.
“What’s really cool about this community is people really took me under their wing. And not only that, they were willing to let me try things out,” she said. “I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
With an eye toward collaboration, Matis said DBI is already planning Friday in the ‘Fonte events, organizing workshops for business owners and community members and scheduling more meetings and opportunities for different entities to bounce ideas off each other.
The new space is also filling a need for event space in the area. On evenings and weekends, Studio 1795 is opening up to workshops, events and private parties. Up to 35 people can fit in the space, Matis said.
“(There’s) that community collaboration piece ... so that we can all work together and thrive together,” she said.
For more information on memberships, amenities and events at Studio 1795, visit www.studio1795.com.
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 7:20 AM.
.jpg)