The Coworking Space That’s Already Built

Here’s an opportunity I keep noticing.

Most bars and restaurants are closed for a big chunk of the day.

But the space isn’t empty.

The tables are there. The chairs are there. The Wi-Fi is there. The bathrooms are there. The atmosphere is usually better than an office.

And the rent is already being paid.

So why aren’t more bars and restaurants coworking spaces during the hours they’re closed?

Not a complicated coworking business.

Just open the doors to a limited number of members from, say, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Give them a key code. Put out coffee. Let them use the Wi-Fi, tables and restrooms.

No receptionist. No dedicated coworking staff. No fancy buildout.

The restaurant is already paying for almost everything.

Maybe it’s $50 or $100 a month. Maybe there are day passes. Maybe members get a discount when the bar opens.

The economics almost don’t have to be great.

It’s revenue from space that otherwise produces nothing.

And there could be another benefit.

At 3 or 4 o’clock, some of those people are probably still sitting there.

Their workday is winding down.

A friend stops by.

Someone orders a beer.

Someone else orders an appetizer.

Coworking quietly turns into happy hour.

I especially like this idea for independent restaurants, breweries and neighborhood bars with interesting spaces and a built-in sense of community.

There are probably plenty of reasons it wouldn’t work everywhere. Insurance. Security. Cleaning. Liquor laws. Making sure the space is ready when the restaurant opens.

But none of those seem particularly insurmountable.

What interests me more is the bigger idea:

How many businesses have valuable assets sitting unused for half the day?

We tend to look for opportunities by asking what we could build.

Sometimes the better question is:

What’s already built that we could use differently?

That feels like a missed opportunity.

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I help entrepreneurial people think through what’s next in their work, business or ideas. If something here sparks an idea or conversation, I’d love to hear from you.