The Coven, a coworking company that provides workspace for women, nonbinary and transgender professionals, officially opened the doors of its new office in St. Paul on Tuesday.
Located in St. Paul's Cathedral Hill neighborhood, The Coven's new space is more than twice the size of its first location in Minneapolis' North Loop.
It has a lot of the standard coworking amenities, such as phone booths, private offices and a coffee bar, but also has some more unique features. The Coven's St. Paul space offers free parking, a prayer room, a beauty bar, and soon, on-site childcare.
"It's hard to start a business, and having children can make that even more challenging," Coven CEO Alex West Steinman told Minne Inno. "Offering childcare opens a lot of doors for entrepreneurs and corporate climbers working remotely. People need to know that their child is taken care of so they can conquer the world."
Starting in February, The Coven will offer childcare through College Nannies, Sitters and Tutors on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If members require childcare, they need to call in the day before and a nanny will be onsite the following day. Those that need the service but have difficulty affording it can apply for scholarship hours with The Coven.
The Coven's office in the North Loop opened in early 2018 after raising more than $200,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. It launched with 150 founding members. Just over a year later, The Coven is more than 400 members strong.
Opening a space in St. Paul isn't an obvious move for coworking companies in the Twin Cities. Many add offices in several Minneapolis neighborhoods before considering a location on the other side of the Mississippi.
But Steinman said that The Coven has always had its eye on St. Paul.
"The St. Paul area doesn't have that many coworking spaces. It's often overlooked as a place for incredible, innovative startups," she said. "But it shouldn't be. There's a huge opportunity here."
She added that The Coven plans to further integrate itself into the St. Paul ecosystem by helping startups find their first round of funding through member connections or potentially serving as a feeder to startup programs like Lunar Startups and Techstars.
"People are really excited about being able to use both locations," Steinman said. "We have a ton of St. Paul residents who've been traveling to Minneapolis every day. There's a lot of excitement about the new space and it's already contributed to a lot of growth."
Last fall, Steinman was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of 100 women building America's most innovative and ambitious businesses. Within the last year, she's also received one of 24 highly-coveted Bush Fellowships and was highlighted on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 List.
For now, The Coven's co-founders will focus on building out their new St. Paul space, but eventually, they hope to expand beyond the Twin Cities and through the middle of the country.
