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By Christine Graf
In response to the growing demand for coworking spaces, SARATOGA CoWorks has opened its third location at 92 Congress St. in Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA CoWorks provides fully remote, hybrid, or independent professionals with a shared workspace that features all of the amenities of a traditional office. The company’s other locations are at 462 Broadway and 153 Regent St.
Owners Dan Bullis and Dorothy Rogers-Bullis also own drb Business Interiors, a commercial design and furniture company. That company designed and outfitted each of the three SARATOGA CoWorks spaces.
After purchasing the building at 92 Congress Street, the couple transformed the second floor into a state of the art coworking space. It features private offices, suites, private desks, best in class internet, security, kitchen and on site parking. Falkbuilt wall systems were used for floor to ceiling privacy and reduced sound.
Before going into business for themselves, Bullis was the director for a large commercial design and furniture company out of NYS. He and Rogers-Bullis purchased a division of the company and moved it to Saratoga Springs, NY.
“We leveraged everything – out house, our kids’ college education money – during the worst economic downturn in history,” said Rogers-Bullis. “IT was the scariest thing we ever did.”
They moved their newly-established business to Saratoga Springs where they had virtually no business. Although the store was losing money every month, they managed to hold on.
“We got through it,” said Bullis. “They say when start a business in really bad times, that everything after that is gravy. That’s accurate.”
After five years in business, they purchased 153 Regent Street which is now the drb Business Interiors showroom. They also made the decision to transform the first floor of the building to the first SARATOGA CoWorks.
“When you have a business and are looking for a professional space you have a tremendous amount of decisions to make and expenses ahead of you. We were there, we went through it.” “You usually have to commit to a long term lease, construct walls, fit out your space with furniture, pay triple net expenses and utilities.” At the time coworking spaces were rare, it was very difficult.
“When we decided to start a coworking space, it was very difficult because no one knew what coworking was. No one,” she said.
During the first six months of operations, business was “terrible.” After that, business grew so rapidly that they opened a second location in leased space at 462 Broadway in 2016. Within one month, it was fully rented.
“We figured out the model that worked,” said Rogers-Bullis. “Our model is to create amazing space that is clean and bright and professional and productive. Because we are in the design and furniture business as well, we make space that is so unbelievable spectacular that all you have to do is come and bring your computer. That’s it. We even deal with the acoustics.”
In order to do that, they utilize the Falkbuilt interior wall systems. The couple operates Falkbuilt’s Northern New York branch as part of drb Business Interiors.
“Using the Falkbuilt wall systems in our coworking spaces with our furniture and our design has changed everything,” she said.
There are currently about 40 people utilizing the offices at SARATOGA CoWorks newest 5,000-square-foot space on Congress Street. It is the largest of their three locations.
“We have waiting lists for private offices, but there are always coworking hot desking available. You can pay to work at a desk or a table,” said Rogers-Bullis. “We get a lot of drop ins.”
There are currently just three offices available across SARATOGA CoWorks’ three locations. Offices vary in size and can accommodate up to five workers. A one-year lease is required, but desks can be rented on a monthly basis. Rates are also available for “day trippers” who want to pay by the day for the use of a desk. Conference rooms can be rented for a half or full day.
While they have no immediate plans for further expansion, Rogers-Bullis said they aren’t ruling it out.
“It just has to be the right place. Saratoga Springs is the perfect spot for what we do, so it would have to be somewhere similar.”
For more information, visit www.saratogacoworks.com