4 Place to Work that Aren’t Starbucks
Let me be clear: Starbucks is a viable option for creative types, freelancers and other professionals looking for free Wifi, but that doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant experience. Once, at the Starbucks on Delancey Street (a particularly bleak location if you ask me), I met a cute and seemingly normal guy. We got to talking and exchanged numbers and then “Sam” made many attempted booty calls upon poor, unassuming me and became increasingly hostile when I refused to answer. This all says more about my apparent inability to make character assessments than it does about Starbucks’ clientele (or does it?!?) but regardless of who’s to blame, I have sought alternative workspaces since then. Here are some of them.
Wix Lounge: Full disclosure, my co-workers at PUBSLUSH and I currently work from Wix Lounge so I am biased. Wix is a free public workspace and you can hold equally free events there. They also provide an easy-to-use (and again, free) web hosting service if you need to make a website for your online photography portfolio, new charity organization or online clothing store! You can eat and talk openly at Wix, so there’s no reason not to live there. They’re the shit. Thanks Wix!
Grounded Coffee Shop: There are plenty of coffee shops in and around the West Village but I chose Grounded because working there is a more enjoyable experience than most. The knit-capped baristas are usually friendly, the Wifi is free and there’s ample seating in the relatively small space! Usually the Rolling Stones or something similar is playing, so that’s good. Also, they have a large selection of teas, which I personally do not care about, but I know people like that kinda thing. You’re technically only supposed to stay for an hour and a half per beverage or food product, but I have never seen anyone enforce this. Although now I’m sort of worried they’ll see this and start to enforce it and I’ll have ruined everything for everyone. Sorry in advance!
Bryant Park: I’m well aware its winter but it was 50+ degrees here in New York not two days ago and if there’s a generalization to be made about New Yorkers, it’s that we as a population like to sit outside until Mother Nature forces us indoors by making a blizzard (maybe there was a better way to word that?). Bryant Park is super pretty and you can look at chic people while you use the free Wifi and sip on an overpriced coffee from the park’s ‘wichcraft kiosk.
3rd Ward: Hello Brooklyn! I have not forgotten ye. If you reside in the Williamsburg/Bushwick area you can drop into 3rd Ward and pay $35 dollars for a desk. Not free, I know, and things only get more expensive from there but you can potentially get unlimited conference room bookings, a business address and free printing/scanning. If you’re made of money it might be worth checking out, I suspect there is plenty of opportunity for networking, which may or may not be priceless?
Fun literary events in the NYC area throughout May. From Joyce Carol Oates to wine and books to music and literacy intiatives…May is going to be a great month! Join in the fun!
