After two years of pulling 14-hour days cleaning and renovating, Chris Webley opened his coworking space, New Rules, last fall. It was a project he bootstrapped with his own money. He purchased the building for $150,000, and spent approximately $200,000 more fixing it up. The final bill, he said, had depleted most of his life savings.
“I probably bit off more than I could chew,” Webley admitted. “Even the realtor cautioned it would be a lot of work, but I looked past that and saw a lot of untapped potential. That’s something that’s engrained in our brand.”
Webley is no stranger to a challenge. After he was laid off from his job at Target two years ago, he started working in real estate, which is how he found the building that currently houses New Rules. He said he chose North Minneapolis' Jordan neighborhood because it reminded him of the area where he grew up in North Carolina.
"I realized I wasn't having the impact I wanted, and I decided to do something more purposeful with my time," he said.
After purchasing the building, he quit his real estate job and jumped headfirst into redeveloping the property at 2015 Lowry Avenue. A textile engineer by trade, Webley said that he did some residential renovations prior to New Rules, but never attempted a large-scale commercial development.
Webley purchased the space in 2015, and has since been working (mostly on his own) to convert it into a community space for the neighborhood’s artists, makers and techies.
“We want to focus on centralizing creative forces that have been pioneering the scene for a while now,” Webley said. “We hope to lead by example and start a trickle down effect that improves the community."
Many of New Rules' members have been working throughout the community for years. By putting them together in one space, Webley said he hopes to create a collaborative environment that benefits the community they work in.
Since opening its doors, New Rules has also hosted events such as art galas, yoga classes and fashion shows. Webley said the gatherings generally aren’t “professional,” but focus on building community in the neighborhood.
“Culture is at the corner of our business. We’re looking to serve millennials and the black community. We don’t want to segment ourselves, but we want to build a sense of collaboration in the community we’re in,” he said.
While the Twin Cities has more than a dozen coworking spaces downtown and in the surrounding metro, none are located in North Minneapolis, a typically low-income area of the city. Webley said that by setting up shop in Jordan, he hopes to create both economic and artistic opportunity for the neighborhood's residents.
New Rules currently has 20 members, according to Webley, with skill sets ranging from painting and photography to coding and catering. Four times each year, each of the members is required to give back to the community in some way, whether it’s hosting an event or providing some sort of service. One of the members, who makes artisan beard oil, previously held a small workshop to teach children how to tie a tie.
A New Rules membership starts at $50, $35 less than COCO’s basic membership. Webley said he’s still working developing a membership pricing model, but wants the price to be accessible for the lower-income members of the neighborhood. On average, he said, most residents make just over $20,000 a year.
“I’m optimistic,” he added. “Half the battle is done, and there’s been a great response so far. Now, we’re focused on driving change and user innovation.”
