Spoke6, a co-working space at 439 N. Sixth Ave., has changed ownership but will continue to offer inexpensive work space with a coffeehouse vibe, its new owner says.
Tim Bowen, founder of the 3-year-old collaborative work space, has sold the business to Nathan Puente, partner in the Web design and marketing firm Graphic Fusion and a charter Spoke6 member.
Bowen, 34, said he decided to sell the business to devote more time to his Web design company, Creative Slice, and to his family, including a 7-month-old daughter.
Closing Spoke6 - Tucson's first co-working space - wasn't an option, said Bowen, who is a founder of the 300-member Tucson Digital Arts Community.
"It was really important for me to keep it going, because it's really important for Tucson," said Bowen, who plans to keep Creative Slice at Spoke6.
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Like other co-working spaces, Spoke6 is geared toward people working in the creative and digital media who want to collaborate in a relaxed, creative setting. Several people from one company, like Graphic Fusion, may work there, and members often share project leads in addition to bouncing ideas off one another.
"The vision for this place is getting all of the best talent in the digital space under one roof," said Puente, 27, who started Graphic Fusion with partner Alex Gurevich about five years ago. "We want to keep the vision alive."
Spoke6 is one of two co-working spaces in Tucson. The other one is Gangplank Tucson, at the Bookmans Event Center, 5120 S. Julian Drive.
Spoke6 consists of two large work spaces with about 15 workstations with high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access, computer monitors, computer chairs and tables. There's also access to printers, mail service, a conference room with whiteboards, lockers, showers, a kitchen and a bicycle storage area.
Spoke6 currently has seven key members - who must be invited to join - about 10 regular members and a variable stream of drop-ins.
Puente and Graphic Fusion, which has four full-time employees, are Spoke6's biggest users now. Other key members are Tucson Labs and Jibwa.
Puente said he plans to continue operating the space unchanged for now, including its membership rates.
Fees range from a drop-in rate of $20 a day to $150 a month for basic members and $300 a month for 24-hour "key member" access.
Spoke6 recently underwent a 1,000-square-foot expansion, boosting its total footprint to about 2,600 square feet, Puente said.
Other renovations are planned to make the space "a little more high-class," Puente said.
Another Spoke6 member, Gabriel Luethje, joined about a year ago after nurturing his Web design and development business, The F-Stop Design & Photography, on his own for a year.
"I was working from home and I kind of wanted to get out and be collaborative," said Luethje, a University of Arizona liberal arts graduate who taught himself Web design.
Luethje said he and a colleague have recently been collaborating with other Spoke6 members on websites using WordPress, a blog tool, publishing platform and Web content manager.
NEW co-work SPACE PLANNED
Planning for a third co-working space in Tucson is in the works.
Organizers Danny Kirk and Victor Alvarado envision The Outlet Cafe and Innovation Centre as a 24-hour, full-service coffeehouse as well as a co-working space, fully equipped for both office work and just "hanging out."
The pair, who are looking for a site and hope to open by mid-2013, are trying to raise $35,000 in startup funding by Dec. 5 via the "crowdfunding" website Propel Arizona.
To help fund the project, go to tinyurl.com/aebtvfv
For more information, go to The Outlet's Facebook page at tinyurl.com/b4z2g8z
Contact Assistant Business Editor David Wichner at dwichner@azstarnet.com or 573-4181.
