Staples Studio: Coworking Space I love

Cafes are crowded. There is no space to sit and enjoy the drink — it’s occupied by people with laptops. Students and young professionals had flooded cafes. Most of them don’t even order anything. Some even don’t drink coffee, but they choose this crowded space as the location for work or study. Why not a library? Why not at home? The cafeteria was not meant to be an “office”, but it is now.

It is obvious that there is a demand for some type of space, where people can work or study. Call it a “co-working” space or an office.

Why do people choose to work from Starbucks? A typical answer sounds like this: “I like coffee and the atmosphere”. What is it about the atmosphere that people like?

The Freedom. Working from the office makes you go to the same location every single day. No matter how great the office space is — it gets boring. There is more freedom of choice if you choose to work from the cafe. If you ever feel like you need to change the atmosphere, you simply go to another cafe. Living a remote lifestyle — you are not confined by the office walls.

Networking. Working at the cafes give you the opportunity to find brilliant talent and connect with others. You never know who you will meet the next time you’re in a cafe. You might make friends with an artist, an entrepreneur, a headhunter or a real estate agent. Personally, I’ve met a lot of interesting people and made a lot of connections which directly or indirectly helped me in business and life.

Internet. When you are on the road, it’s hard sometimes to catch a good LTE signal. Starbucks becomes a goto place if you need a somewhat stable connection.

What if there was a place that would combine all the benefits of working from Starbucks, a library and the office?

• Free unlimited printing;
• Free unlimited tea, coffee and snacks;
• Lifestream video conferencing rooms;
• Soundproof booths;
• Podcast recording studio;
• Meeting rooms and opened coworking space;
• Washrooms and lockers;
• Clean and modern design.

Well, that space exists. I recently discovered “Staples Studio” — a coworking space that includes everything from the above. Staples experiments with this new offering and according to its employees, things go really well. The daily fee is $25, which is somewhat pricey when you consider the free use of Starbuck’s space. However, you can’t go to Starbucks after hours. The music and the crowd might destruct you from your work. You can’t print anything. You won’t look professional at the Zoom meeting.

You can access the Staples Studio 24/7, any day of the week, no matter if it’s a Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. You can leave your laptop or other belongings without worrying that anyone might steal it. Drink as much coffee as you want. There is a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge and microwave. You can even take a nap on the couch if you feel tired…

If you pay out of the pocket, you might think twice, however, if you convince your employer that you are more productive at a space like this — they will cover the costs. I certainly would, if I was an employer. I believe that more companies will start issuing their employees the “stipend” for such things as a co-working space. A membership might even be included in their benefits along with fitness allowances.

The concept of the office had changed. You don’t have to work from home all the time. You need to get out and luckily there are amazing places like Staples Studio, where you can be productive and do your work to the best of your abilities. Look up what Staples currently offers with their membership and decide for yourself. Come for a tour and see what’s inside.

Personally, I chose to work from the Studio because I like space and people. I am accomplishing more and feel productive. This is where I can focus. I didn’t get paid for this review and I did it just because I really like what Staples did with their former warehouse space. I see great potential for this initiative and I believe that the typical office will never be the same.