The owner of a local wall company has created an opportunity for fellow business owners to rent office space in a new co-working centre.
Michel Giguere, owner of Wall-Tek, recently purchased a building for his own business, but realized it could be a great workspace for other businesses, too.
“We decided it would be a good investment to promote Wall-Tek’s wall system with our own showroom,” says Giguere. “As we were designing the offices, we realized the space would be very functional as a co-working space and could be rented to anyone looking for a professional environment.
“We also thought there was a need in our city for a flexible workspace, where people could connect and collaborate.”
Giguere and his wife, Louise, launched Kowork — a business space for entrepreneurs, remote workers, small businesses and organizations, with ready-to-move-in offices and flexible month-to-month leasing.
Kowork has 12 fully furnished private offices, several meeting rooms, 24-hour access for tenants and an equipped kitchen. The building has plenty of natural lighting and is conveniently located in northeast Airdrie, on Highland Park Green.
A few businesses have already moved in since Kowork opened in May. Other professionals have expressed interest, too, including consultants, startup companies and small teams looking for a workplace with common areas for collaboration.
“We’ve created a modern space with beautifully designed private offices, meeting rooms and shared areas, where we think people would truly enjoy showing up at work,” says Giguere. “We want to offer our members a calm, focused and welcoming space. Our space encourages interaction, while still respecting privacy.”
Through providing leasing opportunities, Giguere is bringing something new to the community, while at the same time maximizing his investment and increasing exposure to his business.
The local business owner has lived in Airdrie for 12 years and will be celebrating Wall-Tek’s 10-year anniversary this fall. The company specializes in mountable glass walls, mainly installed in office buildings. All materials used to make the walls are local to Alberta.
“It’s a clean, durable product. We manufacture everything and we do the installation,” says Giguere. “And you can reuse the product. We can install it and then install somewhere else if your needs change and you need to get a smaller or bigger office.”
The company’s new showroom provides examples of the options available, so customers can actually see the product before purchasing.
For more information on the new co-working centre, check out Kowork on Facebook.
