Community Corner

A Comfortable Change Of Scenery for Professionals

The Collaborative Work Center in Monroe provides space for home-based businesses and professionals.

Jennifer Shore of Bedford, NY, takes a 40 minute drive five mornings a week to take her son to Easton Country Day School. Rather than going home only to come all the way back to pick her child up, the consultant looks for places to get work done on her laptop.

"I've been at Panera Bread to work," Shore said. "But I'd think, 'I can't stay here for breakfast andlunch.' I feel guilty taking up the booth for so long."

Another parent whose child goes to Easton Country Day told her about the Collaborative Work Center on the second floor of Gaslight Square at 500 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe.

Tracy Mate, who founded the 1,500-square-foot Collaborative Women's Center in the same building, recently opened the gender-neutral work center next door.

People with home businesses and professionals can rent space to get their work done in a quiet environment and to meet with clients in an office setting.

Last week, Shore visited the center for its "Freebie Friday" event.

Kelly Plunkett, one of five partners who run the Collaborative Work Center, said the "drop in rate" for those using the center for a day was waived Friday, so more people can check out the center and share feedback.

The event, which was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., included a free lunch of soups and salad. Plunkett said there will be a Freebie Friday once a month.

The Collaborate Work Center is also in discussions with Bella Rosa Pizza Restaurant downstairs to offer deals on box lunches for center patrons throughout the week, according to Plunkett.

The official grand opening for the center will be Oct. 2 from 5 to 9 p.m.

Right at Home

The entrance to the center opens up into a lounge area with two desks, comfy couches and chairs and a coffee station.

"They want it to feel like a living room," Plunkett said of the patrons, as two visitors worked on their laptops.

A room off to the side may be rented out as an executive suite. Plunkett said a displaced attorney may lease it for a year as a place to keep files and meet with clients.

Another private space is currently being rented out by a wellness center.

A consult room has a small table where people can meet with clients one-on-one, and there is a conference room that can seat up to 10 people. The room has a projector and a picture window looks out onto Monroe Turnpike.

There is also another large work room with a big-screen TV.

Shore may have found a place to work during the week.

"It's nice to be in an office environment with other people, where I can do computer work," she said. "This may be good during the school year."


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