Nashville is undeniably a creative city, home to musicians, fashion designers, photographers, graphic designers and small businesses of all shapes and sizes. To accommodate this growing class of creatives and entrepreneurs, creative and coworking spaces have sprung up all over town offering work environments for the nomads of the working world. Those who work from home and those who work remotely now have ample options above and beyond the local coffee shop or their kitchen table in which to be productive. The spaces themselves are worthy of a mention, but it is the communities they create that make them truly special. Learn more about these ten coworking spaces fostering a sense of community for Nashville’s small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Center 615
Location: 615 Main St., Nashville, TN 37206 • (615) 457-1596
Cost: $20/day – $2,300/month
What’s included: onsite parking, 24/7 access, Fiber internet, conference room use, phone booths, fitness room, nap room, outdoor lounge areas, ping-pong table, break rooms, coffee and tea, social events, discounted event space rental, pet-friendly, shredding service, notary service
Located in East Nashville, Center 615 offers both private office spaces, coworking options and conference rooms in the campus’ three buildings. Coworking memberships are available by the day or on a month-to-month basis. You can be a “drifter” and choose your seat each day, or opt for a designated desk. One of the biggest perks of Center 615 is the unlimited conference room use (and free on-site parking). Plus, come next week they will have a new rec hall and courtyard.
“Our member directory includes everyone from tech startups to healthcare companies to arborists to attorneys to engineering consultants to therapists to … I think you get the point,” says Whitney Yeldell, Director of Operations. “LiveSchool is a great example of what it looks like to grow your business at Center 615. They’ve been here for over five years, starting out in a 300-square-foot suite and now have four suites totaling about 1,800 square feet. Members are welcome to move suites on campus, larger or smaller, at any time during their lease with no penalty.”
Deavor
Location: 305 Jefferson St., #125, Nashville, TN 37208 • (615) 521-6674
Cost: $200/month – $450/month
What’s included: coffee and tea, printing and copying, mailing address, high-speed internet, blackboards and whiteboards, kitchen, receptionist, 24/7 security, free parking, meeting room access, free member events, studio space, phone booths, plus added benefits for premium members
The Deavor team promises their environment is unique — from the music to the furnishings to the lighting. But more importantly, it is comfortable. The highest level of membership is premium, which includes all of the basics (coffee bar, internet, kitchen, parking, meeting room access, studio space) plus reserved desk space, a locker, 24/7 access to the building and the ability to add an employee at half price. The photography and video studio is accessible to all members, at a discounted rate. Deavor attracts all different types of people — their membership roster includes graphic designers, a marketing firm, a business consulting firm, some sales reps and music industry professionals.
Entrepreneur Center
Location: 41 Peabody St., Nashville, TN 37210 • (615) 873-1257
Costs: $15/month – $300/month
What’s included: online membership portal, exclusive events, Google for Entrepreneurs, Slack, coworking space, meeting room access, break room, printing, lockbox for mail, event space rental, plus added benefits for Incubate members
Entrepreneur Center prides itself on creating a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives and offering a place for them to interact and share experiences and opportunities. As one would guess, the entrepreneurial focus is apparent throughout the center. Resources are designed to benefit entrepreneurs and help them boost their businesses. “Generally, we attract entrepreneurs who are looking to significantly grow their business; and who are also looking to be surrounded by other like-minded entrepreneurs,” Gradi Ellis, Marketing and Creative Lead, says.
Fort Houston
Location: 2020 Lindell Ave., Nashville, TN 37203 • (615) 730-8865
Costs: $150/month – $500/month
What’s included: access to the main shops (mechanical, woodshop 3D printing), shared or personal desk area, discount on events and classes
“We are a makerspace, not just a coworking space,” co-founder Ryan Schemmel says. The makerspace boasts a wood shop, metal shop, photo studio, coworking space, private offices and retail. Makers can craft goods and sell their products in the coffee shop. Fort Houston was the home to many local businesses who launched in the makerspace before venturing out on their own. Fort Houston is a place to foster relationships, hone your craft and grow your business. Discover your full potential inside Fort Houston’s facilities.
Industrious
Location: 1033 Demonbreun St., #300, Nashville, TN 37203 • (615) 490-8580
Costs: $750/month – $3,295/month
What’s included: internet, free printing, coffee bar and lounge, local treats, conference rooms, relaxation room, parties
Industrious expanded their concept in Nashville in 2016 and will open a second Nashville location downtown this April. The coworking and shared-office concept offers productive spaces that cater to startups and small businesses. The New York-based company has coworking spaces in 25 cities but we, of course, are partial to their Gulch location. Large windows frame the office and offer unbeatable views of the city. The 18,569-square-foot space is home base for members with companies that range in size and focus.
The INK Building
613 Ewing Ave Nashville, TN 37203
Costs: $350/month
What’s included: 24/7 building access, coffee, wifi, printer, conference rooms, kitchen
Located in SoBro, The INK Building is home to Made in Network, Frothy Monkey Roasting Company, and more creative companies. The building also offers coworking space that caters to entrepreneurs with a knack for technology. You will find “fun, collaborative, caffeinated, and creative weirdos” taking advantage of the space. Once you have checked a few things off your to-do list, challenge your neighbor to a game of pool or ping pong.
The Lodge Franklin
Location: 1229 Lakeview Drive, Franklin, TN 37067 • (615) 567-5142
Costs: $25/day – $275/month
What’s included: Fiber internet, communal workspace, meeting rooms, mailing address, printing, coffee and tea
The Lodge, which boasts a rustic vibe and a community of amazingly successful people, offers three levels of membership that grant access to the inspiring space. In addition to an abundance of networking opportunities, memberships include workspaces, both communal and private. Conference rooms can host up to 12 people and event and workshop spaces can host up to 150 people. Creatives, realtors, bloggers and charities are all attracted to everything The Lodge has to offer.
Refinery Nashville
Location: 438 Houston St., Ste. 263, Nashville, TN 37203 • (615) 933-9623
Costs: $99/month – $400/month
What’s included: coffee and tea, internet, printing, scanning, meeting rooms, office supplies, entrepreneurs’ library, parking, discounted events and classes
Refinery Nashville occupies 5,000 square feet of space in Wedgewood Houston. “Our space is made up of diverse businesses and individuals. Our members work in design, consulting, real estate, tech, education, nonprofit and a variety of other industries,” says Refinery Nashville Founder and Director Trevor Burbank. “What makes us different is our focus on local businesses and the array of educational options that make us more of a business center. This includes partnerships with Pathway Women’s Business Center, The Porch Writers’ Collective, and two of the only three coding educational schools in Nashville: Covalence and Savvy Coders.” You can drop in for $99 a month or reserve a desk for $400 a month. If you need something in between, opt for the full-time or part-time membership.
WELD
Location: 90 Oceanside Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 • (214) 810-1214
Costs: $400/month – $2,000/month
What’s included: 24/7 access, workspace, unlimited studio days, physical address, storage, discounts on creative services
WELD focuses on fostering meaningful relationships between creatives. Photographers, filmmakers and creative small teams call WELD home in order to take advantage of their studios, workspaces and community. Choose a membership based on your needs. The lowest-cost option offers semi-private workspaces, while the Premiere Spaces option offers a dedicated space for small teams — and there are options in between.
WeWork
Locations: 150 Fourth Ave. N., Nashville, TN 27219 + 901 Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37206 • (877) 796-2434
Costs: $300/month – $10,600/month
What’s included: internet, coffee, cleaning, 24/7 access, printers, front desk service, professional and social events, common areas, phone booths, mail and package handling, bike storage, community managers, office supplies, global network
WeWork is the newest in the lineup of Nashville’s coworking spaces. They opened shop in East Nashville and downtown last year. The East Nashville location, on Woodland Street, boasts a modern design with three floors dedicated to shared workspace, private offices and lounge areas. The downtown location, at One Nashville Place, boasts a “chic country” aesthetic where modernity meets vintage. It is WeWork’s mission to build a community that empowers, challenges and motivates. We fell in love with WeWork after listening to this podcast and are thrilled to welcome them to Nashville.
Did you know there are so many creative and coworking spaces in Nashville?! Now you do!
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