What do a photographer, an event planner, an environmental consultant and a clown have in common?
They’re all members of CoWork 155, York’s first, only and thriving shared workspace that nurtures a culture of collaboration and creativity.
JJ Sheffer, who manages the space and co-founded it in June with Kristin Baker, says, “It’s going beautifully. We knew there was a demand. And we knew there was a sense of collaboration in York. But it has exceeded all expectations.”
Randy Byrnes, who owns the building at 155 West Market Street in downtown York, a onetime Sears, Roebuck store, first approached Sheffer about establishing a co-work space there after visiting and drawing inspiration from Lancaster’s Candy Factory.
CoWork155 offers full- and part-time memberships and amenities including Wi-Fi, kitchen and lounge areas, conference rooms, printers, copiers and fax machines and desk space. But most important, says Sheffer, is the opportunity to think creatively and collaboratively. “They come to CoWork155 to hatch their big ideas,” she says.
CoWork155 has also quickly positioned itself as a hub for cool community events, using social media as a primary marketing tool. A recent food truck rally, for example, drew 1,700 attendees, who lined up at 14 trucks in a drenching rain. A live audience was expected earlier this week for the recording of a music podcast.
Sheffer is an event planner whose New Muse Entertainment is itself a CoWork155 member.
“One of my favorite things in life is getting people who do not know each other, but should, together in the same place at the same time and seeing what happens,” she says. “We started CoWork155 to bring some of York’s creative thinkers together under one roof.”
Source: JJ Sheffer, CoWork155
Writer: Elise Vider
