Bea’s Detroit, a co-working space, café, and retail space in Detroit near Eastern Market, has opened, with the café coming online in the coming weeks. The location is designed to offer a space for entrepreneurs who no longer want to operate from their homes but aren’t ready for their own facility yet.
“We kind of want to be that middle stage,” says Beatrice Wolnerman, CEO and co-owner of Bea’s.
Located a block southeast of Eastern Market at 1533 Winder St., the café is expected to be operational in a couple of weeks when inspections are completed (and a state ban on restaurant being open is lifted). It will offer pastries, coffee, and Bea’s Squeeze, lemonade by another company Wolnerman owns. The location hosted a grand opening on Feb. 27.
The co-working spaces are staying open despite the coronavirus and will be professionally cleaned regularly, says Wolnerman.
A co-creating space is on the first floor of the building and offers parcels for artists to work. Each parcel is $500 per month, and there is still space available. Current art members include Art Shed, an artist group that will offer classes and events as well as programs for children while their parents shop; Ovdo Media, a video production and photography company; Great Lakes Proud, which makes vinyl stickers; and Mesh Detroit, which offers event planning and florals.
Artists who have space in the warehouse can sell their products in the café. Lockers are also available in the co-creating space.
There are different membership levels for the co-working office space. Full offices with furniture are available and start at $800 per month. Open benefits, which offers access to open office space and conference rooms, are available starting at $195 per month. Occasional benefits, which offers a Detroit address for businesses and a single day to use the space each month, is available for $75 per month. One day benefits, or a drop-in workday, start at $20 per day.
There are 28 business members at Bea’s. One is Detroit Mom, a locally focused parent resource for mothers in the area.
“We’re really passionate about helping the businesses in our space,” Wolnerman says.
Bea’s will offer events each week for its members. It will also offer events open to the public in conjunction will local events such as Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers and Flower Day at Eastern Market.
“It’s not just walls and a desk,” says Wolnerman. “It’s really a whole community.”
The space will offer a free livestream via Facebook Live called Don’t Bea Afraid in which small-business owners will discuss how they can combat coronavirus and advertise what they offer. Any local small-business owner can participate and can sign up by contacting Wolnerman at (313) 820-9324 or bea@beasdetroit.com.
Bea’s will also offer space for business and personal events in the café and on the rooftop deck as well as event planning.
Originally a meat packing facility, the building had to be torn down and rebuilt because the walls were caving in. Wolnerman and her husband, Eli Wolnerman, bought the building in November 2018.
The space has been professionally cleaned since the outbreak of the coronavirus. As of Friday, the co-working spaces were still open and operating, and Wolnerman didn’t expect to close.
