Has coworking hit the mainstream in Charlotte?

As Charlotte’s creative class has grown, so has the demand for flexible, communal work space.

The industry has more than doubled in size just since last year — with six spaces open in the city limits and two others in surrounding towns. Coworking spaces have opened their doors to the public for events like #weloveCLT and Black Girls Code tech talks. Demand is only increasing.

But still, coworking hasn’t quite pierced the city’s consciousness just yet, industry leaders say.

“I think it’s probably our biggest challenge: Having people understand what coworking is, and that it even exists,” said Ryan Mitchell, co-founder of Advent Coworking. “We’re still in the beginning stages of general awareness.”

The rapid growth of Charlotte is helping.

What is coworking? Instead of renting office space or working from home, people join a coworking space and have access to its tables, couches and shared meeting rooms. Most coworking locations generally have private offices that small companies can use.

Tyler Ford, owner of Industry Coworking, said he thinks coworking in Charlotte qualifies as mainstream at this point, but it’s still very quiet. Coworking is more common in bigger cities, he said, and people are moving who already have knowledge of the concept.

“It’s one of the first things we hear they search for,” Ford said.

But oftentimes, people still misunderstand what coworking is.

People understand sharing office space, Mitchell of Advent Coworking said. But coworking is a bit different.

It’s more than WiFi and an electrical outlet, industry leaders say. It’s more about relationships and the serendipity of community. That’s hard to communicate.

“The concept still catches people off guard,” said Garrett Tichy, co-founder of Hygge. He said that coworking won’t truly become mainstream until more companies recognize that they don’t really need the overhead of dedicated space.

That’s the reason behind Charlotte’s celebration of International Coworking Day.

The idea is to give people a reason to find out what coworking is about.

Mitchell organized the effort locally after noticing that the International Coworking Day was coming up. He got the rest of the city’s spaces on board with opening up their doors.

Mitchell said he’s hoping that freelancers, contractors or solo entrepreneurs — people who work from home or who hop from coffee shop to coffee shop — will end up stopping in Friday to check out the scene.

And perhaps it will help quiet some of the hurdles that are keeping coworking relatively small, Tichy said — things like “isn’t it distracting?” or “when do people work?”

“It’s not a bunch of people hanging out,” Tichy said. “People come here to work.”

What’s next for coworking?

If demand is any indication, there’s still a hunger for more coworking spaces or for current coworking businesses to expand. This is particularly true outside the central core of the city, where the the bulk of the coworking is happening now.

Coworking spaces will also continue to define their identities and figure out how to provide different levels of engagement, Tichy said. Some people are looking for more interaction, some people less. Everyone has different work habits, he said.

“Ensuring that our messaging is broad enough to appeal to an incredibly diverse group of people is not just important, it’s essential,” Tichy said.

Once that’s figured out, coworking should truly hit the mainstream.

“I think it’s inevitable,” Tichy said.

How to take part in International Coworking Day in Charlotte

Charlotte’s coworking locations — plus two in the suburbs — have agreed to open their doors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to anyone wanting to try them out.

• Advent Coworking. 933 Louise Ave. Suite 101
• Industry Coworking. 1000 Music Factory Blvd
• HQ Charlotte. 222 South Church Street
• Hygge. 809 W Hill St, Suite C
• C3 Lab. 2525 Distribution St
• Level Office. 227 W 4th St.
• Loom Coworking. 118 Academy Street Fort Mill, SC (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• HB5. 42 Union St South Concord, NC

HQ Charlotte is also holding a social hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with beer, food and coffee.

Interested in membership costs? View all Charlotte coworking locations and pricing here.