Why We’re Only “Partially Closed”

By Jamie Ihms, CEO

We didn’t see a pandemic coming when we opened our doors in June of 2019. So we put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (not to mention dollars) into the buildout and creation of what is now Heirloom Workspace. We have grown steadily every month that we’ve been open, and have been able to serve some of the most delightful and hardworking people in Gilbert, AZ.

During the time that we’ve been open, we have seen the impact that our walls, our concierge support, and our resources have had on the working parents, entrepreneurs, and remote workers who use our space as their headquarters. We have seen companies of 1 grow so large and so quickly that they had to move to their own traditional lease in a new space. We’ve seen business owners beam with pride as their clients remark at how impressed they are with the office. Especially when things are tight, people search for an affordable place to work, but they’re really hoping for something that will be comfortable for them and present a professional image to their clients, their boss, or their team.

Our office gives you the best of both worlds.

With the latest Stay Home order from Arizona’s governor, we are closing our doors to the public. However, we’re not shutting down completely. We believe that what we do matters. It matters to us, it matters to the guests who come and go, but most of all, it matters to our members. I’ve spoken personally with many of our members before the order, knowing that it was coming, and the look of fear in some of those eyes at the possibility of a closure cemented in my mind why we need to remain open to our members. Some people just don’t have another place to work. Some have too much equipment in their office without the space to store it at home. Some simply can’t concentrate at home. But they need to work now more than ever.

Our members may enter the building with their keyless entry access whenever they need to, because they qualify under the order, as a sole proprietor or family-owned business conducting work outside of the home in an office space that is not open to the public. Meetings are prohibited, and guests are not allowed during this time. We’re asking all of our members to comply with CDC recommendations on hand washing and physical distancing. But we won’t lock you out of your own office. 

We are also categorized as a mail service, since we receive mail for many of our members. This would technically give us the right to stay fully open. However, as we consider all the options, we are doing our best to do what’s right for the community, as well as for our members. So instead of staying fully open to try to encourage new members to sign up, but also encouraging more people to go out and have contact with our space, we have chosen to put our current members first. Keeping our doors locked allows our members to continue to work safely.

So, we’re open to our members, while closed to the public.

We are also still serving members and the public from home. It is my personal goal to use this time to show members at H. Co that we are more than a set of walls. We are a community of people who are networking, supporting each other, and learning together. We are sharing resources, encouragement, inspiration, and generally still being together.

…even if just virtually.