CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The workplace has changed for lots of people, which led one industry to do better than ever before.
Coworking spaces are seeing record numbers in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The owner of the Hygge Coworking thought he was going under at one point during COVID-19, but the company is now in expansion mode, having just opened its newest location.
Josh Price just started a new job with a New York marketing firm and needed a place away to get some work done.
“I'm a remote worker now and just needed a place to get away from the house and be able to focus, network, meet people,” Price said.
He’s one of the newer members at Hygge Coworking, the locally owned coworking community that now has five locations across Charlotte.
Garrett Tychee opened his first Charlotte Hygge in 2015 and has grown the business ever since. At the height of the pandemic, he thought it was all going under.
“I started working other jobs to make money," he said.
He said now things have bounced back in a big way.
“Our offices are all full across the board and that’s never happened," he said. "We’ve never been at 100% capacity."
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
He said membership was down 70% until March 2021 when he saw a glimmer of hope.
“The net gain was slow, but we could tell there was something changing, and it felt good; we were optimistic," he said.
He said the return to work doesn’t look like it used to.
“Companies started coming back to the offices, but new companies that didn't want to be in Uptown started coming back to coworking instead of that expensive office space environment," he said.
Price agreed.
“I think the concept, in general, is continuing to grow as remote opportunities are open and available," Price said.
MORE ON WCNC: 'We've seen a surge back to the office' | As employees return to Uptown, less traditional offices see popularity rise
Hygge has more members now than even before the pandemic and has just opened its fifth location in May.
“Things now are the best they've ever been. It’s crazy to think in just a year we're seeing leads that are at times overwhelming the amount of members showing up on a daily basis," he said.
Contact Michelle at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.