We were delighted to have Mill District do a test run of our facilities as they planned for their coming year. See what they had to say about their two days in our Urban Workshop, planning out 2020 while also enjoying food provided by local businesses Costeaux French Bakery, Moustache, Portalupi, Quail and Condor, Journeyman Meat Company and Oakville Grocery.

Healdsburg is getting ready to welcome its first coworking space, and our team was among the first to get a sense of what the place will be like when it opens. The space, CraftWork, is scheduled to open for business January 2, 2020, and we helped test drive the space earlier this month.

All told, about 15 of us, including our residential architects from Olson Kundig, held two days’ worth of meetings in CraftWork's shared workspace called The Urban Workshop. We spread out and utilized dry-erase boards, pin-up boards, large digital displays, and comfortable tables and chairs to hash out our strategy for the new year. We brainstormed. We workshopped. We cranked out pages upon pages of creative ideas. During mealtimes, we enjoyed amazing food and drink from several local favorites.

Throughout the day we even marveled at the meeting space nicknamed The Vault — the space had a former life as a bank, and the CraftWork team fashioned a 50-year-old safe into its most stunning conference room.

Once the place opens officially, members will be able to choose from offerings such as private offices, private desks, and hot desks. Members and drop-in users also can take advantage of CraftWork’s other spaces, including soundproof phone booths, an outdoor patio out back, a community table and a lounge with a fireplace. Memberships start at $250 per month and drop-in rates run $35 per day.

Founder Jim Heid said CraftWork is a perfect addition to the Healdsburg community because it celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the people who live here.

“We’ve created a place where independent people can come to do serious work, or casually meet interesting people in a club like setting,” he said. “We want to see our space evolve into a hub for everyone in our community from migrating millennials with young families to retirees who want to share their important life experiences. The connecting element is their desire to build a positive spirit about the potential future of our town.”

Heid noted CraftWork is being programmed to host a range of pop-ups and events during 2020—from town halls with elected officials to a local version of TedX. This means you won’t need to be a member to experience the vibe.

Making CRAFTWORK