ANN ARBOR, Mich. – With large windows, bright spaces and a kitchenette, it’s hard to believe that Ann Arbor’s newest coworking space, StudioStudio, was once a dry cleaning business.
The large industrial space on the corner of Packard Street and Jorn Court has been converted into something that is in short supply -- a coworking and studio space for Ann Arbor creatives.
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The creative space is sectioned off into a 1000-square-foot studio space and 500-square-foot work lounge lined with large windows. Co-owner Abby Rosenbaum, founder of Abby Rose Photo, said the large windows and a rolling garage door were added to turn the building into a big white box that could be used for a variety of things.
“I think people are always looking for a cool space and there’s not another space like this in Ann Arbor,” Rosenbaum said, adding that there are already inquiries for events at the space.
She and StudioStudio co-owner Lisa Sauve, founder of Synecdoche Design Studio, met at a business owner get together.
Sauve said that she and Rosenbaum saw the need for a space like StudioStudio and wanted to create a resource for people in different industries to make connections and learn from each other.
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“As a cohort of small businesses with York and University Flower Shop and Ricewood, it shows that as businesses work together, you can establish a whole community outside of downtown,” Sauve said. She added that placing culture and commerce by neighborhoods helps to stitch together the divide between purely commercial and residential spaces.
Rosenbaum added that the location of StudioStudio also means that it can collaborate with the businesses around it to offer more to possible renters or users of the space.
The two co-owners said that the residents in the neighborhoods around the community of businesses have been excited and interested in the space, which shares a courtyard with a growing hub of eateries and businesses on Packard Street.
While August has been StudioStudio’s soft open month, memberships for creatives wanting to utilize the space will open in September. Membership tiers range from $20 to $400 per month and include access to digital resources, coworking space, studio time and discounts on studio additional hours.
The space was designed with photographers in mind, but it is open for any kind of creative and for private events. Studio rentals include the studio space and amenities, such as lighting equipment, props and backdrops. Venue rentals allow renters to utilize the whole building and also include amenities, like seating and lounge furniture.
Updates to the StudioStudio building include mom-friendly bathrooms, a kitchenette, secure wifi, colorful LED lighting, and wireless speakers.
StudioStudio is at 1946 Packard Street.
Learn more about memberships and studio rentals at studiostudioa2.com