A little bit lounge, a little bit hive

Local 64 is a professional work environment for Central Vermont freelancers, independent creatives, and startups seeking a dynamic downtown presence. After hours we’re a platform for community engagement through talks, workshops, and social happenings at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and the arts.

We’re proud to have released a guide to coworking for the Green Mountain State. Coworking in Vermont: A Starter Guide is written to support entrepreneurs and business leaders think through the potential of building a coworking hub in communities across Vermont.

The basic insight provided in Coworking in Vermont is that successful coworking spaces arise from, and are built upon, strong communities. It is far less common to find coworking spaces established and succeed on the “build it and they will come” model. Our coworking guide provides entrepreneurs and local leaders with an easy-to-follow model based on research, community-building, planning, and execution.

“Coworking in Vermont” is composed of four sections:

1. Context: Provides an overview of the changing nature of work that makes coworking such a viable opportunity. Introduces coworking as a “movement” that has gained momentum since the late 1990’s and discusses why Vermont is ripe for a coworking movement of its own.
2. Exploration: Offers insights into ways to get started developing a coworking space including research, why and how to build community around your coworking idea, and considerations for selecting a location.
3. Execution: Discusses the importance of having a business plan, the right financing package, considerations around incorporation, development and stewardship of a brand, and ways to think about membership and member management.
4.  Launch: You’re ready to open your doors. A few concluding considerations as you prepare to welcome new members and engage the broader community in your venture.

The intent is to get entrepreneurs and leaders in Vermont’s small towns and cities thinking about how coworking spaces fit into the local small business and creative ecology. We’ve drawn from insights gleaned from our own experience setting up a coworking space in Montpelier, as well as input from other coworking leaders and important reference documents produced by the larger coworking community — in the U.S. and around the world. We conclude the guide with a handy checklist intended to help coworking startups stage and execute key activities.

With nearly 40 members across a range of disciplines, Local 64 is a creativity hub in Montpelier. Sixty five percent of our members are involved in: 

Writing & Editing – 18% of members

Network Security – 13% of members

Retail – 11% of members

Art & Design – 11% of members

Web/Internet Dev – 11% of members

Rebecca Leet

Writing, research, green building

As an architect, specifier, and LEED-AP, Rebecca Leet of Green Leaf offers specification writing, materials research, and green building consulting services to construction industry professionals.

Linda Setchell

SEO/Marketing

Linda and Grow! Internet Marketing offer a full service agency specializing in the development of data driven online marketing strategies. From SEO, to PPC, to social media, to banner ad campaign development and buys we can help.

M. Anthony Hughes

Networking & Vulnerability Management

Mark Hughes directs customer and business development for a local computer security company that specialized in penetration testing products.

Lars Hasselblad Torres

Web Design & Arts Education

Lars is a free-lance experience designer with a focus on innovation challenges and competitions. He is available for WordPress, Joomla! and Drupal customization.

Ben Fowler

LEED consulting, energy modelling, and measurement and evaluation

Mechanical engineer Ben Fowler of Cx Associates provides engineering services to ensure commercial building performance, verify reduced energy consumption, and identify efficiency opportunities.

Aleks Chernomazov

Networking and Vulnerability Management

Aleks provides information technology guidance in networking, web and security – with an eye toward helping Central Vermont’s small and medium businesses safely lower technology costs.

Deb Fleischman

Organization and lifestyle management

Deb helps busy professionals transform a home or office with simple systems and designs to organize, manage, and balance life and work. Specializing in clutter control, storage solutions, filing systems, and time management.

Michelle Singer

Writing, Editing, and Design

Michelle is an editor, writer, and poet. In addition to producing her own work for publication, she helps authors and business experts edit, organize, and create books and marketing material.

Art Exhibitions

We feature large works by Vermont artists on the first Friday of each month

Workshops

We regularly host practical workshops like our popular Pitch Kitchen

Talks & Presentations

We'd like to help spread good ideas, including TED Talks each Tuesday at noon

Community Events

We're a great venue for community building events, including mixers and socials

Social

We love hanging out too. Join us for game night and films

Private Functions

Our space is available for dinners, small get-togethers, and private gatherings.

And don’t forget: sign up for our free newsletter to stay in the loop!