The Coven, a Minneapolis coworking space for women and non-binary entrepreneurs, opened its doors on International Women's Day in 2018 with 150 founding members. Just over a year later, The Coven is more than 415 members strong and has plans to expand into St. Paul and beyond.
"We believe that when women, non-binary and trans individuals come together in community, they make magic," Coven Chief Creative Officer Erinn Farrell said in an email. "When women have access to resources, they put their money back into the community, education and themselves. We're honored to hold space for folks on the brink of building their empires."
The office that houses these entrepreneurs and empire-builders is a 5,000 square-foot space in Minneapolis' North Loop. It has a lot of the standard coworking amenities, such as phone booths, conference rooms and a coffee bar, but also has some more unique features. The Coven has a parent and prayer room, locker room and changing area, and beauty bar with products for all skin and hair types.
The coworking company takes its mission of inclusivity very seriously, but its design aesthetic is far from serious or stiff. The space is spattered with bright pink geometric shapes, lots of local art, inspirational quotes, comfortable seating areas and photos of inspirational women leaders. Both floors also have floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in an abundance of natural light.
Farrell said that The Coven's design was inspired by a phrase by American poet Toi Dericotte: "Joy is an act of resistance."
"For us, this phrase has acted both as a rebellion cry and rallying point," Farrell said. "The design of our space needed to meet this phrase – to nod to the hard work of women and non-binary folks as we step away from the rest of the world, remove our armor and become whatever version of ourselves we need to be that day."
The Coven's North Loop location was designed by Erinn Farrell, the company's chief maketing officer. For its upcoming location, The Coven is working with local design business Studio BV. The company works with local partners whenever possible, Farrell said. Additionally, all of the artwork featured in The Coven is created by women and non-binary folks in the Twin Cities.
As The Coven continues to expand in Minnesota and beyond, Farrell said, it will continue to prioritize the comfort and needs of its members to make sure everyone feels included.
"We need a space that honors our work while reminding us of the joy we are all working for and deserve," she added. "The space needs to hold and display artificats that allows folks to been seen – to know they are visible, their histories valued and their experiences believed."
